Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year
by CerysCassandraDewar
Summary: In the aftermath of the Second Wizarding War, Hermione builds a new life for herself, starting with her return to Hogwarts to complete her schooling. On her own without Harry and Ron she faces the post traumatic stress from everything she's been through and her developing feelings for a friend. Hermione makes new friendships and her own identity.
1. Chapter 1

_Usual disclaimer, I am not JK Rowling, these are my imaginings with her wonderful world and the characters who live in it. Thank you Rowling for giving us all so much inspiration. _

"Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year"

a fanfic by Cerys Dewar

Chapter One

Hermione woke screaming from yet another nightmare.

Ginny slept on more peacefully in her bed, and Hermione was glad that she knew how to cast a good silencing spell on herself every single night before sleep. The Weasleys had insisted on Harry and Hermione staying on at the Burrow until they decided what their next steps would be, and both had gratefully accepted. Hermione's parents had decided to remain in Australia even after having their memories restored, needing time to cope with what Hermione had been forced to do and also feeling reluctant to leave the friends they'd made there. Harry had always loved the Burrow and the Weasleys; it was a simple decision for both to make.

In the last year, from the first night after escaping the Death Eater attack at Bill and Fleur's wedding to the present, the nightmares had filled her sleeping hours. Hermione had post traumatic stress disorder. St. Mungo's had offered her deliveries of Dreamless Sleep, but Hermione had declined, not wishing to develop a dependence on the potion. Hermione attended therapy for her war wounds, inside and out, and hoped that one day the nightmares would stop.

Hermione sat up in the bed and waited for her heart rate to slow down to normal, wrapping herself in her housecoat to fight off the chill in the early autumn air and the chill of the dream she'd just left. Finally, when she ceased to tremble, she stood and tiptoed to the bathroom to shower, eager to start the day. Today, she was to receive her final Hogwarts letter. She was a jumble of anxiety and excitement, as well as determination. She had very high hopes for her seventh year do-over.

In her developing years Hermione lived for two things: study, and helping Harry Potter overthrow Voldemort. With the latter finally completed, Hermione clung to her books more voraciously than ever, her one anchor in a world that had left her more adrift than she ever expected to be. At nearly eighteen years of age, Hermione was leaving girlhood behind. The year on the run with Harry had stripped her of the last signs of childhood.

Hermione spent a long time enjoying the hot shower, having been assured by Mrs. Weasley that there would be no shortage of time or hot water for her. Once she stepped out and cast a drying spell on herself and her unruly mane of curls, Hermione dressed in her muggle clothes and braided her hair tightly. Her stomach rumbled, and Hermione began her descent to the kitchen, where she knew she would at least find Molly and Arthur, as well as a pot of good strong tea and some toast.

Molly and Arthur, as well as George, were seated at the table, quietly chatting about the day's plans. Fred's absence still ached for everyone, and Hermione stepped around the table to embrace each of them. After everything they had all been through and lost in the war, nobody ever passed up a hug or a clasped hand or an opportunity to connect. Everything had been rendered even more precious. Once she stepped out of Molly's warm hug, she sat down across from George and took her first sip of tea, closing her eyes as the warm drink flooded her entire being. Even the simplest things, like hot tea and Molly's homemade bread, were still miracles to her. Molly squeezed her shoulder and they exchanged a sad smile.

"Did you manage to sleep at all, dearie?" Molly asked gently. She knew that Hermione was still haunted by everything, especially being tortured by Bellatrix and witnessing Professor Snape's horrific death. Hermione had seen too much, and Molly knew, from this war and the first one, just how hard it could be.

"Not very much. I keep dreaming I'm back at Malfoy Manor." Hermione huddled a little tighter to her cup, and Molly squeezed her shoulder again. Hermione brought her eyes to meet those of George, and George smiled crookedly at her, his eyes just as haunted as her own. Hermione reached out and gently touched the hand he wrapped around his teacup, and the four of them stayed for a moment, all touching somehow, all sharing their pain and offering what they could.

Ginny was the next to come down to breakfast, and then finally Harry and Ron. Everyone exchanged hugs and sat down to table to enjoy the good breakfast Molly had waiting in the cookstoves. No one ate a lot, but breakfast was peaceful, and no one was going to take that feeling for granted ever again. As everyone finished eating, and the last plate was cleaned and then returned to the cupboard, the owls arrived, and there was a collective intake of breath. It was a big day.

Harry and Ron tore open Ministry envelopes eagerly, setting aside the Hogwarts letters. Kingsley had extended invitations to the "golden trio", as the citizens called them, to begin Auror training immediately. McGonagall had of course sent the school letters but no one had really expected either of the boys to return to do their seventh year; neither had been particularly good students and there were still Death Eaters to round up. They were impatient to begin their careers and join the adult world.

Hermione smiled a little and bumped into Ginny's shoulder as they opened their Hogwarts letters, Hermione's own Ministry letter being relegated to the same pile as the boys' school letters. Once again, there were no surprises about it. She loved Harry and Ron dearly, but over the summer months she and Ginny had become inseparable, and everyone knew that she would want to complete her schooling. Ginny was overjoyed to have Hermione returning to school with her, and Hermione was looking forward to burying herself in her studies once more.

She was a little sad over the happy little trio parting ways like this, but many quiet jokes had passed around the table about Hermione finally only having to do her own homework instead of the boys', and jokes about the boys being able to let loose a little without Hermione keeping them in reign. They all covered their own anxieties about the separation with their smiles and resolved to visit eachother as often as possible. Harry and Ron also had expressed hopes in serving some of their internship time in Hogsmeade nearby. Molly, of course, insisted that of course everyone would come home on Sundays for dinner at least every second week.

The boys would be moving into George's now extended living quarters above the joke shop, close to the Ministry and their training, and Arthur and Molly were quietly looking forward to having more time for eachother. George was happy to have the boys stay with him, as well as Lee Jordan, who'd accepted a partnership in the shop. Hermione and Ginny would be sharing a dorm room at Hogwarts, so no one would find themselves too lonely.

Ginny had an extra envelope from Hogwarts, as she was now the captain of the Gryffindor quidditch team. Harry teased the girls that McGonagall was determined to have the quidditch cup stay in Gryffindor and to have Hermione break every academic record. Hermione retorted back that without Ron and Harry breaking so many rules, Gryffindor would have its best chances in years at the house cup. It felt good to tease eachother again. It eased some of the pain.

Ginny and Hermione planned to floo into London with the boys so they could shop for their school supplies, as well as new dress robes and shoes, and Ginny and Harry wanted to go on one more date before she returned to school. Hermione and Ron hadn't really made any plans, but Hermione wasn't particularly bothered by that. Despite the heat of their kisses in the battle, things hadn't really progressed between them. There was no real awkwardness, but there was no tension either. Hermione wondered sometimes if the war had broken her somehow, but didn't really want to discuss it with Ron in case it really was her fault.

Everyone got what they needed for the day, Hermione and Ginny equipped with their purses and the boys equipped with their moving boxes shrunk and tucked in their pockets. Everyone stepped into the floo and away they went to London, much more subdued than on previous departures, more determined to occupy themselves so they wouldn't feel the pain too much.

As the last youth departed through the fireplace, Arthur pulled Molly even closer into his arms, and they spent a moment leaning on eachother for support. Then, sharing teary smiles, they settled down to a quiet morning together, Arthur tinkering with an electric teakettle Hermione had acquired for him, and Molly reading another kitchen spells manual. All was finally well in the world, and though there were sad moments, there was a peaceful lull that morning shared by parents who had proudly watched their children leave the nest with their hopes and dreams and their brave determination to have a future un-hindered by the shadows of the past.


	2. Chapter 2

_Usual disclaimer, I am not JK Rowling, these are my imaginings with her wonderful world and the characters who live in it. Thank you Rowling for giving us all so much inspiration. _

"Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year"

a fanfic by Cerys Dewar

Chapter Two

Ginny and Hermione parted ways with the boys at the shop; Ginny and Harry shared a gentle kiss, and Hermione smiled and squeezed Ron's hand and Ron kissed her cheek. Once they were out of earshot, Ginny tucked Hermione's hand into hers and leaned into her side.

"Ok Hermione, spill. What the hell was that?"

Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes a little. She knew Ginny was going to notice something wasn't quite right. Ginny had inherited Molly's second sight, as they all called it.

"I don't know," Hermione muttered, "I wanted to ask you about that but didn't want to bring it up. You've been through pretty much the same things we have in the past year, do you feel like the world has left you...damaged somehow? I think there's something wrong with me."

"Hermione. We all have been traumatized, we are all hurting, but trust me when I say that there is nothing damaged about you in that sense. Unless you aren't telling me something, nothing...sexual...happened to you during the war, right?"

"No, nothing like that, Ginny. I just don't feel any of the same...desire...you and Harry seem to have, and I don't think Ron really feels it either." Hermione flushed, uncomfortable talking about Harry's sex life with Ginny. They were her best friends. "Ginny, have you ever felt just nothing at all about your partner? Just comfortable, perfectly cozy and fine but, you know..."

Ginny snorted. "Not with Harry. I'm sure you've all noticed. However, with Dean it was different. He always wanted to snog and he was so impatient to go further, and even though he's so handsome and I had such a crush on him at first, that kind of faded once we got together, and I realized we weren't compatible in that way. Look, I know you and Ron have been best friends for such a long time, and I know you guys have shared a lot of feelings between you, and I know too that it's what everyone expects, but I don't think you guys are a match in that way."

Hermione teared up a little, and Ginny stopped and hugged her tightly. "I don't know what to do, Ginny, it's going to break his heart and he won't want anything to do with me anymore, and I'm just so sad myself! I thought we had it all figured out."

Ginny gave Hermione a gentle shake. "Hermione, Hermione, Hermione Granger! You know what you have to do, it's the best thing for both of you. You're a bloody Gryffindor and you survived bloody Bellatrix. Judging by what I just saw, I think Ron has probably been feeling some of the same things. I say some because, teaspoon..."

Hermione let out a shaky laugh, and Ginny linked arms with her again, marching her forwards.

"C'mon, you: let's get you some new robes and our school supplies and then we'll get ice cream and go to the book store. I know what cheers you up. It'll all be fine, you'll see."

"Ginny, what would I do without you? Thank you."

"You'd worry about everything, I know. I love you, silly."

The two girls had a wonderful afternoon, and whenever Hermione started feeling sorry for herself Ginny would whisk her off to the next thing. They got robes, they got everything needed for school, and Hermione also purchased several pairs of shoes and boots. Ginny whistled at the stack of shoeboxes the shopkeep was marking for delivery to Hogwarts.

"That's a lot of shoes, Hermione."

"I wore the same pair of boots the entirety of last year and I burnt them along with the clothes I wore, and all my other clothes and shoes were destroyed when the Death Eaters raided my parents' home. I have no intention of strolling the halls of Hogwarts in my thong sandals."

Ginny snickered. "You sounded just like old McGonagall there."

Hermione laughed and pulled her friend away.

"Professor McGonagall has NEVER worn thong sandals, Ginevra." Hermione pruned up her face and flared her nostrils in a perfect imitation of her favourite professor. The girls lost themselves in hopeless giggles for a moment and then collected themselves.

The girls were greeted at the shop by Harry, Ron, and George, and the boys took the bags from the girls' hands and delivered them to the proper rooms. George then pulled some Butterbeers from the fridge and they all sat around the table chatting about their days.

Harry and Ginny left the table to go get ready for their date and George went downstairs into the shop to work on some new ideas he'd been developing. Ron and Hermione were left alone, seated side by side with a pot of tea between them and leaning on eachother comfortably. Hermione began to feel anxious and cleared her throat to finally speak, only to be interrupted by Ron doing the exact same thing. They looked at eachother and nervously chuckled, but Hermione waited for Ron to speak.

"Hermione, I need to talk to you. I know in the past I've never really had much guts, but I want to change that, and there's something I really need to talk about with you."

His face was so earnest, and so serious. Hermione went cold all over, and her voice cracked a little.

"I'm listening."

"Hermione, you are my best friend and for the longest time I've wanted to be with you, plus, everyone has been expecting it all along. When we finally kissed during the battle I thought everything was coming together, and I want so badly to make my mum and dad happy because they love you so much too, but I just don't feel like we're boyfriend and girlfriend. You are so beautiful and so smart and wonderful, and I feel like such a heel for not being in love with you the way you deserve, but I don't want to hold you back in life and I just...I want what Harry and Ginny have, and what mum and dad have." As he spoke, tears fell down both their faces, and Ron turned away from Hermione, huddling around his teacup as if it was a lifeline.

Hermione shakily threw her arms around Ron and rested her head on his shoulder, but it took a moment before she could finally speak clearly. After a few false starts, during which Ron withdrew more and more, finally she spoke.

"I feel so terrible, Ron. I've been feeling exactly the same way and I thought it was because there was something horribly wrong with me since the war and I didn't want to lose my best friend or hurt you, and I knew you'd always take good care of me and be so good to me and I didn't know you were also feeling confused. I am so sorry; I really should have said something sooner, I just didn't know what was wrong until I talked with Ginny just today."

They sat in silence, but Ron threw his arms around Hermione and they shared a good cry together, then they just sat there, arms around eachother, just supporting eachother. Finally, Ron let out a watery chuckle.

"Trust the brightest witch of our age and the despair of every professor at Hogwarts to mess something up this much."

Hermione also chuckled, and they leaned on eachother. Hermione cast a re-heating spell on the tea, and they just sat there drinking their cups down, and Ron stood up, giving Hermione's shoulder a gentle squeeze.

"I'm glad we talked about this, and I want you to know I will always be here for you and I will never abandon you again. You will always be my best friend, 'Mione."

"Thank you, Ron. I feel the same way. I'm sorry we didn't work out, but I'm so glad I still have you as my best friend."

They shared a last watery smile and then Ron muttered something about needing to get some rest before tomorrow and Hermione agreed, stating that he needed lots of sleep before training tomorrow and that she too, needed to rest before leaving for Hogwarts in the morning. Ron shuffled away down the hall, but Hermione stayed where she was, curled around her teacup the same way Ron had been, and she wordlessly conjured up some more tea and sat there, frozen. It was done. She and Ron were done. She was torn between relief, and sadness, and regret, and anxiety that she would never find the right feelings for anyone. She was so buried in her feelings that she hadn't noticed that she wasn't alone.

George had returned from his project but had overheard Hermione and Ron, and had sat down on the stairs, not wanting to interrupt them. He watched poor 'little Hermione', as he always thought of her, huddled at the table with her cup of tea and her conflicted feelings. He could see the emotions flickering across her beautiful, so expressive face, and he was overcome with an urge to protect her and make her feel better, but he didn't know how.

Finally, Hermione rose, cleaned the teapot and cups, and put them away after drying them with a spell. George tried to sneak quietly to his room, not wanting her to hear him Apparate there, but she turned around and they both looked into eachother's eyes, Hermione's full of tears and George's scared stiff. Even if she was a foot shorter than he was, and unbelievably tiny and frail looking, George didn't know how to handle a crying Hermione Granger. They stood there, just staring, unsure how to escape the kitchen without having to say anything.

Finally, George couldn't take it any longer. His long legs carried him across the room to her before she could say a thing, and he wrapped his arms around her tightly, guiding her head to his shoulder and gently caressing her hair. He was shocked by his boldness with her and with how easy it was to take charge and offer her this comfort. Her arms hesitantly snaked themselves around his waist, and she rested into him.

"Thank you, George," she said, her voice cracking from her tears. "It's been quite the evening. Ron and I-"

"I know, Granger, it's alright, you don't need to tell me...I actually overheard some of your conversation. It's ok. Also, if you don't mind my saying so, mum and dad will still love you too, and everything will settle just fine. We are all here for you, me included, ok?"

Sensing that she was ready to stand on her own again, George gave her one last squeeze and they stepped away from eachother. Hermione managed a shaky smile and George found himself thinking that even after a good cry, Hermione managed to be pretty damn adorable. She turned and walked away from him and George walked to the cupboard to pour himself a Firewhiskey to take back to his room.

Hermione packed her school trunk and cleaned her face before cuddling into her blankets, feeling comforted by Ron's care of her and George's unexpected gentleness to her. He'd changed so much after losing Fred; he'd always been kind to her when he wasn't pranking, but she'd been much closer with Fred, George being the less talkative of the two. She fell asleep thinking about how wonderful his hug had felt. George fell asleep with a book after drinking his Firewhiskey. As he drifted to sleep, he imagined himself talking to Fred, telling him about the days events, telling him about Ron and Hermione breaking up and the new products he was developing.

_It's funny, Freddie,_ he thought, _but once I decided to try to comfort Granger it wasn't so difficult. I wish you'd been here to help me, though. You always knew what kinds of things to say to people to help them. I felt like such a bumbling idiot._

_Georgie, I think you did just fine, _his twin chuckled. He drifted off into his dream, imagining his brother there, laughing and plotting new pranks with him, and for the first time in months, he fell asleep without tearing up.


	3. Chapter 3

_Usual disclaimer, I am not JK Rowling, these are my imaginings with her wonderful world and the characters who live in it. Thank you Rowling for giving us all so much inspiration. _

"Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year"

a fanfic by Cerys Dewar

Chapter Three

Finally, the morning had come. Trunks were shrunk and sent off, and Hermione and Ginny prepared to floo into McGonagall's office. As Quidditch Captain and one of the returning senior students, the girls were not required to take the Hogwarts Express and had been offered an earlier arrival to settle in. New dormitories had been expanded into Hogwarts for the returning seniors and the seventh year students, where students of differing houses were to be allowed to be roommates. McGonagall wanted to eventually abolish the house system and sorting, and had begun with this change in accomodations.

The girls stepped into McGonagall's office, giggling a little over their clumsiness in the floo, and were greeted by the headmistress herself. McGonagall shook hands with Ginny and Hermione and told them where their new dorm was located. The older witch beamed at them both happily and sent them on their way, and the girls strolled down the corridors to their new dorms located in a new tower next door to Gryffindor tower. When they stepped into the dorm, they both gasped with surprise.

They stood in a beautiful sitting room with a small kitchenette off to the side, and Hermione could see the entrance to the bathroom and four bedrooms. All the furniture was in neutral tones and elegantly built, as were all of the carpets and curtains. The little kitchen hosted all the necessaries for tea and snacks, and when they looked into the bathroom they were delighted to find a large clawfoot bathtub and a shower. There was a vanity with four sinks and mirrors so no one would have to wait to get ready in the mornings. The modern fixtures pleased both girls immensely. There had never been showers at Hogwarts before and Ginny in particular was pleased to see she would now be able to shower after Quidditch. Ginny chuckled and gave Hermione a sideways glance.

"McGonagall has been busy. Dumbledore would never have designed anything so nice."

Hermione laughed also. Dumbledore's affection for antiques and his gaudy style had been the bane of some of the students existences, and she was happy to be in more adult surroundings. As they stood admiring everything, the door admitted Luna Lovegood and Cho Chang. All the girls exchanged hugs and admired their new dorm and exclaimed over the luxury of flooing in rather than taking the long train ride. They each chose a bedroom and for the next hour or so were happily engaged in making the small rooms 'home'. Girls walked in and out of eachother's rooms, admiring progress, exclaiming over changes in eachother (Luna was the same as ever, but Cho had gotten a rather magnificent tattoo of a red dragon spiralling around her arm and Hermione had calmed her hair down quite a lot, and Ginny had become the last word when it came to cosmetics and hair potions). Finally, a small bell rang in their sitting room, and the girls knew it was time to head down to the Great Hall for dinner and the Sorting.

The girls went to their house tables, and as Hermione and Ginny sat down they were greeted by the Gryffindor boys: Neville and Seamus had both elected to return for their final year. Seamus had not grown any taller, but he was certainly broader in the shoulders and looked like he could hold his own. There was still the same friendly twinkle in the young Irishman's eye, but he was a little more serious than he'd been before the war. Neville had grown slightly taller and exuded a confidence that revealed that he really was a handsome young man. Neville stood straighter and made eye contact and smiled less shyly too, and he beamed as he pulled Hermione and Ginny into a big hug. The girls also hugged Seamus before sitting down, and all through the Sorting the four happily whispered to eachother.

Once the new students were finished being sorted, the new professors were introduced: for Defense Against the Dark Arts, a tall man named Roland Shacklebolt, reportedly a cousin to Kingsley, and Divination was now being taught by Firenze, as Professor Trelawney had elected to retire after the war. The feast was then spread out as usual and every student tucked in happily, catching up between bites of the wonderful food. After the feast, Cho and Luna rejoined the girls and the young men offered to walk them back to their dorm. Talking and laughing and reminiscing, the walk seemed short, and once the girls stepped through their door they made tea and asked the house elves for some little cakes so they could continue catching up. Hermione curled up in the corner of a couch with a blanket wrapped around her, Ginny sat on the floor near the tea table, and Luna and Cho sat near the fireplace on another couch. They exclaimed about how handsome Neville had grown and teased Luna about their very brief romance, which hadn't worked out. Luna flushed a little and asked Cho if she was still seeing Oliver Wood, which she was, and all three girls teased Ginny just a little about dating Harry, especially once Hermione joked about how attached the two had become over the summer.

Finally, Ginny had talked about Harry enough, and she mischievously accio'd a bottle of Ice Dragon vodka and some fruit juice that she'd gotten from the kitchen elves earlier. Hermione had one drink quite happily, but soon enough Ginny and Cho were giggling and discussing their boyfriends' physiques and Luna was curled up like a cat in front of the fire, happily asleep after four drinks. Hermione rolled her eyes a little and told her two giggly roommates that she was going to the library to find something new to read, having exhausted her supply of schoolbooks already.

As Hermione walked to the library, she admired the thorough repair work that had been done to the castle. Everything was pretty much as it had originally been, but it was easy to see where the original building ended and the new began. McGonagall had made no effort to conceal the disparity, or the events that had taken place only four months ago. Hermione had already seen about 20 little plaques in random spots in the castle, commemorating those who had given their lives to save the students and the wizarding world itself.

In the corridor approaching the library, Hermione found one she hadn't seen yet but had known she would find. She gently touched the edges of the small plaque and released the breath she was holding in as she read the name Fred Weasley and the quote underneath, "Mischief Managed." Hermione's tears fell as she caressed the embossed letters and remembered her friend and his easy laugh and generous heart. She remembered his twin's hug only the night before and wished she could reach out to George and offer him some sort of comfort in return. Finally, tears dried on her face, she tiptoed softly into the library, inhaling the scent of parchment and ink and age.

Hermione tiptoed into the restricted section and selected a few older volumes and then turned to settle down at the table to read in peace. However, she wasn't alone. Seated directly across from her, staring up at her like a cornered animal, was Draco Malfoy.


	4. Chapter 4

_Usual disclaimer, I am not JK Rowling, these are my imaginings with her wonderful world and the characters who live in it. Thank you Rowling for giving us all so much inspiration. _

"Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year"

a fanfic by Cerys Dewar

Chapter Four

Hermione found herself at a complete loss for words as she stared into the eyes of a boy whose face brought back her worst nightmares. The boy who introduced her to the word 'mudblood'. The boy whose aunt had carved that same filthy word into her left arm, as well as a straight line across her throat that occasionally caught on the collars of her shirts. Hermione had no clue what Draco was doing here; she didn't even realize that he had returned to Hogwarts.

Suddenly, Hermione found herself filled with anger and anxiety all rolled into one. What on earth was a Death Eater doing seated in the library with a few books and a cup of tea? The cup of tea told Hermione that he hadn't snuck in, the books told her he had returned as a student, but why did he have to be here, right now after she had just mourned the loss of a friend who had been murdered by one of this boy's associates?

Hermione had had enough in the war, and was not going to let him ruin her school year OR her usual habits. With a lift of her chin, she sat down and opened one of the books and began to read, ignoring him completely, not noticing the way Draco stared at her left arm or trembled as he flipped a page of his own book.

The two enemies read in silence, and finally, the clock struck eleven, breaking into the oppresive silence between them, making them both nearly jump out of their skins as they jumped up from their seats, wands in hands. Once more, they stared at eachother, torn between fight or flight. Golden brown eyes bored into steely grey ones, both sets of eyes haunted with dark circles underneath, both faces gone pale as ghosts. Hermione retrieved her books and slid them into her book bag without taking her eyes off him and then slipped out quickly. But not quickly enough. As she quietly fled the library, she heard a quaking, broken voice call out hesitantly.

"Granger..."

She returned to her dorm and slipped unnoticed into her bedroom, shaking like a leaf. Malfoy had just tried to talk to her. Why? As she donned her pajamas and housecoat, as she washed her face and brushed her teeth in the bathroom, as she conjured up glasses of water and sent each of her roommates to their beds, she puzzled over it. To relax, she finally sat down at the small desk in her room and wrote quick notes to Harry and Ron to let them know that they had settled in and telling them about the changes to the castle. She thought of writing another note to George but didn't know what to say. Finally, she settled on adding a P.S. to her note to the boys, asking them to please tell George that she said hello. That accomplished, she penned one more note to her parents and then sat in silence once more, too keyed up to sleep and still confused by what had happened in the library.

The first couple days of lessons passed on, and Hermione found that she was not behind very much at all in her studies. All her professors were more than happy to offer suggestions of what library books could help her catch up, and once again she found herself walking to the library, gently touching Fred's plaque on the way by, and sitting at her usual table in the restricted section. This time, there was no one seated at her table. However, there was an envelope and a small bag on the table, and the envelope had her name on it.

Hermione opened the envelope and pulled out a clipping from the Daily Prophet and a folded piece of parchment. She read the clipping first, and found herself once again staring into the haunted eyes of Draco Malfoy as he started up at her from the photo. It seems that Narcissa and Draco had testified against Lucius and had exchanged a lot of information and renounced the dark in order to secure their own freedom. As she read, she also discovered that both had been placed under an unbreakable oath to never engage in dark magic ever again.

According to the article, Lucius had abused Narcissa and Draco endlessly, and Voldemort's stay in their home had made it even worse. Hermione found herself looking at the photo of Draco with pity mingled in with her mistrust and revulsion. Was it possible that he could change at all? Was it possible that his upbringing had caused him to be the way he was? Hermione sat down and reflected on his picture, thinking about all of the encounters they'd had with him in school before the war. He had always been horrible, but so had Snape, and Snape had been hiding a side to him that no one had dreamed of. Suddenly, tucking the envelope, parchment, and books into her bag, she stode to the Headmistress' office and asked for admittance.

"Miss Granger, this is a surprise. I apologise but I am just on my way to a staff meeting, can we meet at another time?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, headmistress, I was actually hoping to speak to two of the portraits..." Hermione suddenly realized that perhaps this was something that might not be allowed and clammed up a little. "Would that be ok? I'm so sorry I didn't send an owl first to ask."

McGonagall's eyes immediately warmed and she squeezed Hermione's shoulder.

"For you dear, it is definitely alright. Please make yourself at home. If you would like to speak to me later about whatever is troubling you, you are also welcome to wait until I return or we can meet tomorrow after dinner."

"Thank you, professor, I will."

McGonagall nodded and stalked out the door, leaving Hermione alone with every headmaster and headmistress of Hogwarts. She only had one she wanted to speak to. In a darker part of the office hung the portrait of a professor she had never been able to like: Severus Snape. Snape's portrait hooked its eyebrow and Hermione nearly ran from the room at that point. For a moment, all she could do was stare at the portrait, hesitating.

"What is it, miss Granger?" drawled the portrait with a sneer.

"I was wondering if you could tell me something, sir."

"And what is it that Minerva cannot better assist you with? Surely she can handle your feminine products or boy drama with Weasley or your constant desperation to read yourself to an early grave."

"Sir. I am here to ask you something about Draco Malfoy. About Death Eaters."

The portrait rolled its eyes but said nothing, so Hermione proceeded.

"I know that you were a double agent, professor. I was just wondering if Voldemort ever forced anyone to become a Death Eater against their will. Especially someone underage."

"Miss Granger, the Death Eaters numbers' were more inflated than you could ever imagine with those who had unwillingly become followers of the dark lord. Whether by the imperius curse or by threatening or killing families of those who were taken into the fold, the dark lord knew how to get what he wanted out of those he wished to follow him."

"Is Draco Malfoy one of these, professor?" The portrait frowned deeply but answered almost immediately.

"My godson showed an interest in the dark arts at an early age out of fear for his pathetic father and a desire to keep his mother and himself safe. He joined what he thought would be the winning side but was given no choice in the matter, especially once the dark lord moved into Malfoy Manor as an operations base leading up to the Battle. He may have thought he had the makings of a dark wizard, but I believe what he witnessed frightened him more than even Lucius' treatment of him had."

Hermione nodded. She had no reason to mistrust what she'd been told, and she could verify what she'd learned with professor McGonagall tomorrow also.

"Thank you, professor." The portrait made no sign of acknowledgment, and Hermione stepped out of the headmistress' office and returned to her dorm. As she pulled her books from her bag, the article and forgotten parchment fell out. She cast a shredding charm on the newspaper clipping and sent it flying into a wastepaper basket. The parchment she picked up gently and unfolded. The writing inside was spidery but clear, the ink black as night but good quality, as was the parchment.

_I wanted to apologize for what I did to you and what my family did to you. I don't expect anything from you; I just hope you can understand what was happening to us and forgive me. _


	5. Chapter 5

_Usual disclaimer, I am not JK Rowling, these are my imaginings with her wonderful world and the characters who live in it. Thank you Rowling for giving us all so much inspiration. _

"Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year"

a fanfic by Cerys Dewar

Chapter Five

The next morning Hermione woke screaming again. Thankfully she always warded her bedroom before falling asleep and cast muffliato to ensure she wouldn't disturb anyone else. Hermione was tired of the nightmares and the random panic attacks triggered by the smallest thing. She'd been to some therapy that St. Mungo's had offered, but she found it all very wishy-washy and it hadn't really worked for her. She rolled over to get up out of bed and swore as something dug into her back. Sitting up, she managed to find the something and pull it out from the blankets. When she saw what it was, she sat back down on the bed.

She'd forgotten entirely about the small bag that had accompanied the envelope from Draco, and even now in the safety of her room she felt very strange opening it. What on earth could Draco possibly be giving her? When she saw what was in the bag, she gasped and dissolved into tears, shaking like a leaf.

There in her hand was a little glass box, and inside the box, a small golden chain with a locket that had been well worn, a locket Hermione knew like the back of her hand. It had been a present from her parents when she started her first year at Hogwarts. She opened it up, and there were the portraits of her parents; the locket had been carefully cleaned and the portraits looked almost good as new. She cast a thorough scanning charm over it, just in case, and couldn't detect any dark magic around it. It wasn't a sick joke. Draco Malfoy had actually done something kind.

Hermione had worn that locket every single day since she'd received it as a gift, and she'd lost it when they'd been captured and tortured at Malfoy Manor. Hermione's entire body vibrated with fear and a strange elated feeling when she realized that Malfoy must have found it and cleaned it, and now returned it to her. She fastened the clasp at the back of her neck and gently stroked the surface of the locket, and found herself comforted by its familiar weight.

Hermione got dressed and then went to the bathroom to finish getting ready. While she brushed her hair and did her makeup, she was joined by a sleepy Luna, who greeted her with an equally sleepy smile and a word of thanks for getting her to bed last night. Hermione chuckled softly.

"How's your head, Luna?"

"Oh, I'm alright. If I hadn't been bitten by that garden gnome at Bill and Fleur's wedding I may have been much worse off, but the gnome spittle must've settled into my system permanently. Oh, I do hope there are pancakes at the breakfast table this morning."

Hermione inwardly giggled at Luna's assessment of things and gave her a pat on the back as she walked out.

"I'll see you at breakfast, Luna, I want to send an owl to Harry and Ron before the day starts."

As Hermione exited the dorm, she caught a glimse of Cho and Ginny nearly crawling down the stairs, holding their heads in their hands and not saying a word. Hermione smirked just a little as she walked away, glad that she hadn't had enough to drink to cause a hangover.

Hermione sent out her usual notes from the owlery and then proceeded to the great hall. However, on her way there, she passed none other than Draco Malfoy, who was carrying a small breakfast tray with him.

They both stopped at the sight of eachother, but this time Hermione was a little less afraid. She looked Draco directly in the eye and pulled the locket from underneath her collar. Draco flushed a little and then paled, eyes returning to Hermione's. He cleared his throat roughly, but Hermione interrupted him.

"Thank you, Draco," she said softly. "I hadn't realized how much I missed it."

Flushing again, Draco nodded and then continued on his way. Hermione watched him leave, and as he turned a corner, he looked back and jumped a little when he saw Hermione still watching him. Hermione smiled just a little, and Draco's eyes widened a little. Hermione finally left him and found her way to the great hall for breakfast.

The school day was like almost any other, except that Draco appeared in a few of the classes that she hadn't noted his presence in before. Many of the other students regarded him with fear or disgust, and he kept his eyes firmly down and worked on his homework. The professors treated him much the same as any other student, except that Hermione noticed that McGonagall was a little gentler with him. As they all filed out of classes, Hermione noticed that Draco lingered so he could leave last.

After dinner, Hermione made her way to the headmistress' office for her tea with McGonagall. The older witch greeted her with a smile, but as they sat down she raised one eyebrow and eyed Hermione dryly.

"Miss Granger, am I correct in assuming that your roommates Miss Chang and Miss Weasley were a little...indisposed today?"

Hermione didn't want to tattle on her roommates, but when she saw the small twinkle in her professor's eye, she let out a chuckle.

"I'm afraid you are correct, professor. I think they've learned their lesson but I doubt it will be the last time."

McGonagall smirked a little as she poured the tea.

"I was very much the same, as much as that must surprise you, Miss Granger. I see rather a lot of myself in Miss Weasley, she's intelligent and ruthless on the quidditch pitch. There has been very little fun in the past few years and Miss Weasley is high-spirited. Did you get the information you were hoping for when you visited the portraits yesterday?"

"Yes, professor; I spoke to Professor Snape's portrait."

McGonagall only raised the eyebrow again and eyed her, so Hermione continued.

"I shared my library table with Draco Malfoy earlier this week, professor, and I wondered if he could possibly be redeemed, is all."

The older witch smiled warmly and nodded.

"Mister Malfoy could be redeemed, and to everyone's surprise, is redeeming himself. It is hard for a young man to face his peers and say that he's changed and be believed, however the staff have all noticed a change in him and it is our hope that the rest of the wizarding world can spare him some compassion. I am glad to see that he has earned your compassion."

"It is hard, professor. He was very cruel to me once, and his aunt..."

"Hermione, are you having dreams about your time at Malfoy Manor?"

Hermione curled up a little in the chair, astonished by her professor's use of her first name. She didn't want to complain about her nightmares, but surely her professor would understand, having been through both wizarding wars. She let out a shuddering breath to speak, but the older witch interrupted her, placing her hand on top of Hermione's.

"Hermione, you were in a war. You saw and did and experienced so many things that normally don't happen in a young woman's life. You don't need to pretend that you haven't been affected by all that went on, dear. Have you had any sort of treatment or therapy at all?"

Hermione couldn't stop the grimace that crossed her face, and the older witch chuckled.

"I felt the same way about therapy, but perhaps you could find some closure at least?"

"What would you suggest, professor?"

"You know what I would suggest...even though I thought Dumbledore was a bit precious at times about it, I do agree that love can heal a lot of wounds...don't look at me like that, girl, I don't mean romantically, but you are intelligent enough to see that befriending Mister Malfoy might bring you the closure you need, and I know he could use a friend right now."

Hermione nodded, but her professor wasn't done with her.

"Though now that we come to it, I was wondering if you were still attached to Mr. Weasley?"

Hermione blushed a little and then laughed just as dryly as her professor.

"I'm afraid not...Ronald and I are very fond of eachother, but we weren't really compatible in that way."

McGonagall let out a small hoot of laughter, and Hermione almost spit out her tea at her professor's amusement.

"Thank goodness, Hermione. You are the brightest witch of your age, and while Mr. Weasley may have many good and brave qualities, he would never challenge you mentally the way you need to be, my dear. He's a sweet boy and I guess he could be considered handsome enough, but he's not your match."

Hermione could only stare at her professor, colouring deeply. McGonagall was nearly as bad as Dumbledore had been. She glanced at his portrait hanging nearby, and when she saw his eyes twinkling at her she couldn't restrain herself from glowering at him. Manipulative old coot. McGonagall clearly noticed the exchange but managed to not react. As the two women rose, Hermione needing to finish homework and McGonagall having papers to grade, the older witch suprised Hermione by wrapping an arm around her shoulders and giving her a quick hug.

"You know you've always been my favourite, Miss Granger. We need to discuss your future soon. I want to know where you envision yourself heading after you graduate and that is only 9 months away after all, my dear. Same time next week?"

Hermione smiled and nodded, and shouldered her book bag. When she stepped out of the doorway and Minerva was sure she wouldn't be heard, she chuckled to herself. She walked to Dumbledore's portrait and straightened it on the the wall, still chuckling.

"She was not too happy with me for commenting on Mr. Weasley but I just couldn't help myself. He's just so, so..."

"Entry-level."

Minerva looked over to where Snape's portrait hung, surprised that he'd added comment for once, and then chuckled once again, sharing a warm glance with Dumbledore. She began to sort out the papers on her desk and smirked.

"Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy becoming friends. This will be an interesting year."


	6. Chapter 6

_Usual disclaimer, I am not JK Rowling, these are my imaginings with her wonderful world and the characters who live in it. Thank you Rowling for giving us all so much inspiration. _

"Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year"

a fanfic by Cerys Dewar

Chapter Six

Hermione began to have weekly teas with Professor McGonagall, to discuss any ideas she may have for her future, to discuss her classes and studies, to work on her meditation skills with her mentor, and to discuss her developing friendship with Draco Malfoy. Hermione did not discuss Draco or the weekly teas with McGonagall with her roommates; they were happy to assume that McGonagall was simply mentoring Hermione and helping her learn to cope with the trauma from the war. The other three girls had been going to daily therapy sessions in the hospital wing, hosted by the St. Mungo's healer, but McGonagall had secured an exemption for Hermione, explaining that she would be handling the matter personally.

Hermione enjoyed the weekly teas even more than she'd originally hoped. Everyone had always remarked on how much like her professor Hermione was, and in her parents' absence she treasured the older witch's maternal interest in her. The nightmares were becoming a little less terrifying, and she was completely caught up in her studies, and she was actually becoming friends with Draco Malfoy. They shared their library table almost every evening, simply reading their books and sometimes studying together. They still didn't speak much: quite a lot of awkwardness still remained between them and Hermione didn't want to push her luck. Hermione hoped it wasn't all in her head that Draco was looking a bit less haunted and a little healthier. McGonagall had commented on it also, commending Hermione on her kindness. Hermione was surprised at the comment, and realized that she genuinely liked his company.

It was now mid-October, and there was a victory ball planned for Halloween. The decorations were all plotted in Professor Flitwick's mind, and he had asked a select few students to participate in the charms work to execute the vision. Hermione had been asked, as had Luna. Draco had also been asked, but he didn't feel ready yet to participate in any sort of victory anything. Hermione didn't push the issue, not knowing how to approach the idea of a former death eater attending such an event, but she promised to slip away later in the evening to bring him some treats and tea, and he'd accepted the offer. Hermione was really looking forward to it.

Saturday morning bright and early, the four girls proceeded to McGonagall's office to floo into the boys' apartment. Ginny and Cho had insisted on having an afternoon in Diagon Alley to purchase new dress robes, and Hermione hadn't hesitated in accepting the offer. She'd grown so thin in the war that most of her dressy clothes no longer fit at all. Luna was planning to wear her yellow robes from Bill and Fleur's wedding, but wanted to find herself a familiar at the owl emporium.

The girls tumbled into the apartment, giggling and a little bleary eyed from the early morning. Hermione would have liked to sleep in, but Ginny was having none of that; the redhead had barged into Hermione's bedroom at the crack of dawn, excited to see Harry and excited to shop. Harry gathered Ginny into his arms and they kissed for long enough that Hermione found it a little embarrassing; she gave Ron a hug and a smile and then said she'd go say hello to George while she waited for Harry and Ginny to come up for air. Ron laughed heartily and offered Cho and Luna tea, which they accepted happily.

Hermione skipped down the stairs lightly and found George seemingly waiting for her just near the bottom step. She stepped into his hug quite happily, sinking into the comfort of it, enjoying the safety of her older friend's embrace. Without releasing her, George pressed a gentle kiss into her hair.

"How is the brightest witch of our age today then, hmm?"

George showed no signs of releasing Hermione, so she just went with it. The hug felt wonderful and she felt a lot more comfortable than she usually was with prolonged hugs. Maybe the war had brought about a good change in her, to be less shy about hugging.

"I'm alright, Professor McGonagall sends her love and asked me to ask you why you thought it necessary to create so many joke wands. She's been at her wits end with first years thinking they were squibs after all when their classmates swapped out their wands for fake ones."

George finally let her go to laugh, first a slight wheeze and then a deep, warm chuckle. Hermione found herself watching him, enjoying his laugh and the way his deep blue eyes crinkled at the edges when he grinned back at her.

"Granger, that was exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you. So I hear my terrifying little sister is taking you all shopping this afternoon."

"Yes, she gave us absolutely no choice in the matter and she woke us at the most ungodly hour to get ready. I wonder if she and Harry have released eachother to breathe yet."

The chuckle again, then an arm about her shoulders. Without knowing why, Hermione found herself colouring a little and feeling fluttery, when only moments before he'd had his arms wrapped around her.

"Why don't we go check. We've got a young fella on the floor right now and he can always call for me if I'm needed. Also, if Ginny has had you awake at ungodly times, you need a good cup of tea or coffee if you'd like. I've learned how to make a pretty good mocha."

"That sounds absolutely perfect."

When they entered the kitchen, everyone was seated around the table on the benches, Harry and Ginny on one side, Ron and the other two girls on the other. Laughter and conversation were flowing easily and everyone was in high spirits. Hermione sat down in a chair at one end of the table and smiled at Harry. Harry jumped up from his seat and pulled Hermione into a hug. They danced a silly little dance as they hugged, a habit they'd fallen into from their 'dance parties' in the tent while on the run. When they sat back down, George had placed a very promising looking cup of mocha at Hermione's spot and taken the chair at the other end of the table.

The girls related their plans, and Harry and Ginny talked about their dinner date they'd planned for the evening. Cho was to spend the evening with Oliver once shopping was finished, and Ron had offered to teach Luna the finer points of wizard's chess. Hermione supposed she'd pick up a book to occupy herself with (which made everyone laugh fondly) and George said he'd be plotting more pranks to sell to Hogwarts students so McGonagall wouldn't forget about him. Hermione rolled her eyes at him and his eyes crinkled up again as he grinned at her. Hermione felt happy and still fluttery, but was saved by the 9 a.m. chimes in Diagon Alley, signalling the opening of shops. Ginny and Cho jumped up from the table and dragged Hermione down the stairs and out the door with them, and Luna followed at a more leisurely pace. The girls left Luna at Eeylops' and walked into Madam Malkin's, where they were greeted by Madam herself and two of her assistants.

Hermione was assigned to a witch named Joelle who introduced herself as a Beauxbatons graduate and Madam Malkin's first apprentice. Joelle was close to her thirties, Hermione guessed, small in stature like Hermione but achingly chic. From her perfectly applied, classic makeup to her perfectly fitting robes and her perfectly charmed brunette curls, she was so elegant that Hermione was more than willing to submit to her suggestions on robes.

"And what is mademoiselle hoping for in dress robes?"

"Oh, I'm not sure really...I'm afraid I don't really know very much about which colours I should wear or what cut of robe suits me best...I've only just gotten the hang of my hair and cosmetic charms, to be honest."

The petite witch eyed Hermione critically from head to toe and smiled.

"Mademoiselle has indeed created a lovely style for me to work with. However, may I suggest for this event perhaps a little more curl to the hair, and you have so much of it, we could bring half of it up like such," the witch waved her wand a few times, "and for the cosmetic charms, I think a nice deep red lip...your mouth is shaped so beautifully, my dear, and just a little gold shimmers here and there...you still have the beauty of youth, no need to pile on the cosmetic charms, and we want you to look like yourself."

Hermione smiled gratefully. She hated wearing heavier cosmetic charms. She'd tried once or twice to use the same ones the other girls seemed to like, but she hated feeling like a complete stranger.

Joelle waved her wand around and around Hermione, building in whisper-thin layers an exquisite gown of a deep wine red. Hermione gasped at the richness of the colour and the softness of the silk. When Joelle indicated for her to turn, Hermione couldn't resist a twirl. The robes moved so beautifully, modest enough for school, but with a wonderful cling to the fabric that made her look amazing. Hermione smiled tremulously up at the older witch, still touching the skirts tenderly.

"You are an artist! I haven't looked this good in a long time."

"Oh, you look much better than you think, Mademoiselle. You are young and fit and you have good bone structure and a nice figure. With your hair done like that and those wonderful eyes of yours smiling like that, your escort will be so proud to have you on his arm."

"Oh, I don't have an escort...I'm just going with my friends."

The petite seamstress chortled delicately.

"Mademoiselle, you may arrive at your ball without an escort, but wearing my work you will not leave alone."

Hermione coloured deeply, and Joelle chuckled again.

"Come. I will sell you some earrings and a bracelet. No need for a necklace with that small peek of cleavage."

Hermione turned nearly as red as her dress and shooed her seamstress out of the fitting room so she could change back into her everyday clothes.


	7. Chapter 7

_Usual disclaimer, I am not JK Rowling, these are my imaginings with her wonderful world and the characters who live in it. Thank you Rowling for giving us all so much inspiration. _

"Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year"

a fanfic by Cerys Dewar

Chapter Seven

After their shopping expedition the girls returned to the apartment, except for Cho, who had been picked up by a beaming Oliver Wood at the robes shop. Hermione and Ginny retrieved Luna and her familiar. Or familiars, rather. Nestled in Luna's arms were two pure white kittens, one with bright silver eyes and the other with warm golden ones. Even their little noses were white; Hermione had never seen kittens like them. Luna lovingly kissed the tops of their little heads and ran her cheek over their soft fur, blissfully cuddling them.

"I always wanted some cats like these. They're very special ones; not just white cats but a sort of magical type cat like your kneazle, Hermione. Their purr can magically induce a sound sleep and they are wonderful guardians when full sized. I named them Telperion and Laurelin."

"Luna, I didn't know you read Tolkien. He's a muggle writer."

Luna smiled softly again, cuddling the little kittens gently. Hermione could see she was in complete bliss over them. She was glad to see her friend so happy.

"My mum liked his books and I inherited her collection. They're some of my favourites."

Ginny and Hermione exclaimed over how perfect and adorable the kittens were, and as they headed back to the boys' apartment Hermione offered to knit them little blankets for their beds and Ginny learned how to pronounce their names. They all knew that Cho also loved cats, and Hermione assured Luna that Crookshanks would be nothing but kind to them. When they got into the apartment itself, the boys admired the little kittens, and Ron pulled a bit of yarn from his jumper to play with them. Ginny and Harry left on their date, and George pulled covers off of takeout dishes while Hermione set the table.

Dinner was very enjoyable for everyone, with the delicious Indian food that the boys had found when a new restaurant had appeared in Diagon Alley after the war. The kittens were fast asleep in an empty Wizard Wheezes box which Luna insisted on keeping beside her on the bench, and they talked about the victory ball and the fact that Harry would, of course, be Ginny's date for it. Ron gave Hermione a small nudge after dinner was completed.

"Who's your date, 'Mione? I can still take you if you haven't got one."

"Oh, I'm going with Luna, of course. Neither of us have or want dates, really, and Neville and Seamus will join us I'm sure."

Ron looked a little disappointed but recovered quickly enough. Hermione sighed, the slight awkwardness of things getting to her. However, George began to clear up and Hermione jumped up to help, and Ron took out his chess set and placed it between himself and Luna. Hermione, wanting to lighten the mood, teased Luna a little.

"Careful there, Luna, Ron is so good at wizard's chess I couldn't even keep up with him. He won't let you win out of kindness either."

Everyone laughed at that, and the little kittens popped their heads up, wide eyes blinking at their surroundings. Ron and Luna began their first game, and George cheerfully sent the clean dishes spinning back into the shelves and cutlerly into the drawers. He turned to Hermione and pompously offered her his arm, the mischievous twinkle in his eyes again, making Hermione's stomach do flips. Hermione felt a little annoyed with her stomach's foolishness. He was her ex boyfriend's brother, for Merlin's sake. Still, she couldn't help from smiling up at him.

"Madam, our books await."

Hermione took George's arm and he marched her, lifting his long legs ridiculously high and stomping down as he went, finally depositing Hermione into one of the comfortable armchairs. Hermione giggled hopelessly and George beamed at her. When she recovered, he conjured up two cups of tea and they proceeded to their reading and plotting. Occasionally Hermione would look up at him, smiling at his engrossed state, planning away happily and concentrating fiercely. As she read her book, she snuck peeks at him here and there, and once or twice George caught her at it. Every single time he'd waggle his eyebrows at her and laugh like an old movie villian, and then say something like,

"Old McGonagall will just love this wee prrrrrrrrank, miss Granger."

Hermione would try to hold her laugh in, but was always unsuccessful. They passed their time reading and plotting and occasionally with George goofing off to make Hermione laugh, until Harry and Ginny returned from her date and Luna pointed out that McGonagall was expecting them back at the castle very soon. George dashed off, promising Hermione he'd be right back and to please wait for him, and Luna gathered up her kitties in their bright orange and magenta box, which George had conjured a soft towel into. Ron smiled warmly at Hermione, having successfully taught Luna how to play a good game of chess.

"It's good to see George mimicking professors and acting so ridiculous again. I haven't seen him like that since Fred..."

Just then George marched back into the room with another Wizard Wheezes box, which he presented to Hermione with a flourish.

"Some lovely little antidotes for McGonagall to use if the first-years forget how the Puking Pustules and Ton Tongue Toffees work, as well as the other goodies they'll have on them...and something in there for you as well, Granger."

Hermione looked shyly into the box, where nestled was a beautiful leather-bound book that looked well worn. She gently picked it up and read the title.

"Hogwarts, A History: First Edition! Oh George, wherever did you find this? It's too much, I can't possibly accept this."

George beamed at her, eyes crinkling merrily. Flip, went Hermione's stomach.

"A customer came into the shop with this tucked in his cauldron the day you girls came to get your school supplies. When I saw it I got so excited I offered him and his parents a brand new copy from Flourish and Blotts if they'd let me have it. They probably thought I was crazy, but I knew you'd love this. The illustrations are amazing. I read it through myself once; I skimmed some parts, but there's some really good stories in there."

Hermione smiled up at him, and George awkwardly reached out and tugged one of her curls affectionately. She jumped into his arms and gave him a tight hug.

"Thank you, George. It's perfect. I can't wait to read it."

"Get through the floo safely first, Granger." He winked at her and then bent to kiss the top of her head.

"Off you go now, time to give the Chosen One and Ickle Ronniekins their x's and o's goodbye."

Harry and Ron shot him mocking dirty looks before enveloping Hermione in a group hug. Hermione kissed them both on the cheek and told them they'd better write to her once in a while or she'd send them howlers. Ron and Harry promised to write, their twinkling eyes telling Hermione that nothing had changed about her boys: they would not write often enough. Hermione rolled her eyes and then stepped into the floo with Luna and the kittens as Ginny pounced on Harry for one last kiss.

The girls stepped into McGonagall's office just as the headmistress was checking the clock on her desk. Hermione gave the professor the box from George, to which she snorted and rolled her eyes but couldn't conceal a small smile. McGonagall gave them a nod and sent them off to bed once she had admired the kittens. The girls had to hold back their giggles seeing their usually super dignified headmistress crooning at the kittens while stroking their little chins and ears delicately.

That night as she lay in bed waiting for sleep to take her, she cuddled into her thick, warm blankets and pulled Crookshanks closer. She thought of her friends she loved so much and the wonderful day she'd had, and she couldn't help thinking about George's warm chuckle and the seamstress' assessment of her appearance. She couldn't help wondering if George saw what the seamstress had, or if he thought of her as another sister. She sighed a little impatiently with her foolishness but soon fell asleep, drifting off into more pleasant dreams than she'd had in a very long time.


	8. Chapter 8

_Usual disclaimer, I am not JK Rowling, these are my imaginings with her wonderful world and the characters who live in it. Thank you Rowling for giving us all so much inspiration. _

"Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year"

a fanfic by Cerys Dewar

Chapter Eight

The two weeks leading up to the Halloween Victory Ball went by in a blur of schoolwork and preparations. Finally, Flitwick and his selected helpers had finished the last touches on the Great Hall, and Hermione was heading back to her room to get dressed and do her cosmetic and hair charms. She was tired but looked forward to an evening of fun with her friends, and of course she would see Harry there. She had stopped feeling guilty for not inviting Ron; they weren't an item anymore and Hermione didn't want to fall into the habit of having Ron as her escort to everything. If she had to go to every event dateless for the rest of her days, so be it.

As she stepped into the senior dorm, she shook her head at the music Ginny was blasting and Cho was singing along to tunelessly and loudly. Luna was dreamily casting charms on her hair, trying out different hairstyles, and she smiled up at Hermione in greeting. Hermione complimented her charms; they really were quite advanced, and the effect was quite lovely; Luna had always had an otherworldly type of beauty, and in her bright yellow robes, with her lovely white-blond curls woven through with silk flowers she'd conjured, Luna looked like some sort of forest fairy.

Cho and Ginny burst into the sitting room when they somehow managed to hear Hermione's voice over the loud music.

"Hermione, look at these wonderful robes! Aren't they spectacular?"

Hermione smiled at her two friends, instantly agreeing and exclaiming over their robes: Ginny was wearing long navy blue robes that shimmered with every movement. Hermione teased her a little over how high the slits at the sides of the skirts were, but Ginny only laughed. The tall redhead had always had the confidence to pull off just about any style, and she knew how stunning she would look on Harry's arm. Her long hair was straightened perfectly and she had given herself a very dramatic smokey eye look. Hermione couldn't help teasing a little more.

"You know Harry's dancing will only be worse being distracted by how you look, Ginny."

Ginny laughed and grinned hugely.

"Success, then. I'm not dating him for his dancing. Not the public kind anyways."

Ginny winked at a slightly nauseous looking Hermione and Cho laughed and gave Hermione a little half-hug. Luna was cuddling her kittens and wasn't paying attention to anyone else anymore; she was often found in her own little world, softly stroking their little velvety ears or singing to them.

Cho was wearing more demurely cut dress robes but in an eye-watering shade of emerald green that she was absolutely radiant in. She had cast hair charms similar to Luna's but her glossy, thick raven hair was dressed with tiny golden stars that twinkled alluringly. She had gold shimmer on her eyelids and even her slippers were golden. She glittered with every movement, and her eyes were sparkling merrily. The girls exclaimed over her robes, especially the fact that the skirts had pockets in them.

"I have something to show you guys before Hermione gets dressed."

She pulled her hands out of her dress and showed them to the girls, dancing in place a little. At first Hermione was looking at her nails, but then as Ginny screamed, she realized that on Cho's left hand there was a dainty golden ring with diamonds in it. Luna joined in Cho's dance and Hermione congratulated Cho.

"Cho, this is so lovely! When did Oliver ask you?"

"The Saturday we went to visit the boys and do our shopping! He flew me to the most amazing castle in the highlands with the coolest garden maze, and when we got to the center of the maze he proposed to me. We were waiting till tonight to announce it."

The girls all hugged Cho and congratulated her again, and then Hermione slipped away to get ready for the ball. She slipped into the amazing robes and a beautiful pair of velvet slippers she'd purchased on Joelle's suggestion, and then she cast her hair and cosmetic charms and put on the jewelry as her last finishing touch. She felt the excitement of the evening ahead as she began to turn back into the glamorous Hermione that Joelle had helped create, and she couldn't help a twirl or two in the lovely full skirts. Finally, she heard Ginny's voice ring out.

"Oi, Hermione, everyone else is here, are you ready to go yet?"

As Hermione stepped into the sitting room, she felt the room go silent, and she blushed a little. It had been a while since she'd looked so nice, and even at her absolute best had never had the expertise of someone like Joelle enhancing her best features. Everyone looked almost in awe, but thankfully Hermione was saved from shyness by Luna, who danced over and took her arm. Hermione smiled at Luna and Ginny broke the silence.

"Bloody hell, Hermione; my legs are showing nearly to my hip and you'll still catch everyone's eyes."

Hermione blushed but couldn't help a small jibe.

"It's ok Ginny, I'll just tell Harry what you said about his dancing earlier and he won't be able to think of anyone else."

The girls hooted with laughter and the boys looked confused, except for Harry, who was blushing almost the colour of Hermione's robes. Ginny beamed and tucked her hand into Harry's arm proudly.

"I stand by what I said. I'll tell you all about it later on, dear."

The laughing group made their way to the Great Hall, and everyone admired the decor. The hall was almost completely dark except for the usual floating candles, which Flitwick had charmed to glow a little more softly. The wizarding world didn't go in much for the muggle way of decorating for halloween; this ball was just as ornate as any other ball hosted here, but with more subtle lighting and more traditional food and drinks. It was elegant and understated; exactly what the young adults in the school were yearning for. The younger students had all been sent to a party on the quidditch pitch, and this was an evening to celebrate surviving the battle and to remember all the sacrifices made. However, as McGonagall had said all those years ago, it was first and foremost, a dance.

Hermione danced many times though the evening, with Seamus, then Neville, then with Harry of course, and with a few young wizards she'd never met before. When the others had begun to pair off and get touchy-feely, Hermione was ready to call it a night. She slipped out of the Great Hall into the cooler corridors. As she walked towards the hallway that hosted her dorm, she noticed someone standing in the shadows, and found herself smiling a little tentatively at Draco Malfoy, who was leaning against the wall. Draco tentatively smiled back, and strolled over to her side. She looked up at him, realizing for the first time exactly how tall Draco was. Even in heels, she had to look way up.

"I didn't see you at the ball." Draco sneered a little and looked down at his shoes.

"None of those people want to see me in there, Granger. There is no room at a Victory Ball for a Death Eater."

"Former Death Eater, Draco."

Draco suddenly stared in her eyes, a shocked, vulnerable look in his.

"You've never called me by my name before."

Hermione felt her heart break a little at the look on his face. Before she could overthink it, she stepped towards Draco and hugged him tightly around the waist. She felt his breath shudder and his heart rate double.

"Granger," he said, voice deepened and shaking, "what the hell are you doing?"

"I'm doing what friends do."

"I didn't realize we were friends, Granger."

Hermione didn't release Draco, but she looked up at his face to make sure he wasn't angry with her. When she saw that he was simply puzzled, she hugged him again.

"You really need to start using my name, Draco. We are definitely friends, and next time there's a ball you will sit with me and my friends, and if anyone says anything against you I'll hex them."

She felt Draco shake a little and then heard him chuckle softly. She'd never heard Draco laugh before unless he was being cruel; never real laughter.

"I always felt so sorry for Potter and the Weasel being bossed around by you and now I find it happening to me after all these years. If you didn't throw such an amazing left hook I'd mock you for threatening anyone, but I've also seen your wandwork so I guess I'd better shut it."

"Yes, you'd really better. It's for your own safety."

"No promises on going to the next stupid ball, Granger, unless you're prepared to get up to some mischief."

"Ok, now I'm worried." Hermione finally stepped back from Draco and eyed him suspiciously. Draco laughed again.

"Merlin, you look just like old McGonagall when you do that to your face. Anyways, if you're up for a little fun, I say we turn this place on it's head and go to the ball together."

Hermione couldn't help sputtering.

"Together, together?"

"I dare you, Granger."

"Hermione. I told you."

"Sorry, old habit. So what do you say, Hermione? Want to cause a scandal?"

Hermione finally rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, looking up at Draco in a slight huff. From her early days of being teased for being uptight by the other Gryffindors, she still couldn't resist a dare.

"Fine. But I'm only doing this so you're not skulking about in shadows anymore."

Draco chuckled dryly and tucked Hermione's hand into his arm formally.

"I'm walking you back to your dorm, Hermione, and we will continue as we have been, studying in the library and everyone oblivious, then the night of the yule ball, BOOM, Granger and Malfoy. All the eligible witches will weep and everyone else will fall over of shock that the golden girl has gone over to the dark side."

Hermione lightly punched Draco's arm as he dropped her off, but he bowed elegantly over her hand and kissed it gently while he waggled his eyebrows at her. Hermione laughed and rolled her eyes, and then Draco spun on his heel and slunk away.

Hermione turned to the portrait door and waved to him when he looked back at her before turning the corner. He grinned a little.

"By the way Granger, nice robes. Wear something like that to the Yule Ball to measure up to this handsomeness."

Hermione laughed as Draco strutted away, dressed in his house coat and silk pajamas.


	9. Chapter 9

_Usual disclaimer, I am not JK Rowling, these are my imaginings with her wonderful world and the characters who live in it. Thank you Rowling for giving us all so much inspiration. _

"Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year"

a fanfic by Cerys Dewar

Chapter Nine

"No, no, NO, absolutely not, Draco Malfoy!"

"C'mon Granger, I haven't had any fun since the first day back here, and I want to make sure we match and you don't go choosing Gryffindor colours again."

"I am not going to Diagon Alley with you to shop for robes. Firstly, I don't shop with boys. Secondly, I am not going to put up with Ron and Harry's reactions beforehand."

"You really do need to stop being so afraid of them. It's a little pathetic. You are your own witch and they don't really have the right to make your choices for you."

"Excuse me? This coming from you, of all people?"

"Ouch, Granger."

Hermione reddened as she looked across the table at Draco. His usually pale face was even more pale, and his eyes stared into hers, showing her just how much she'd stung him. Hermione felt so ashamed of herself for such a low blow.

Draco had received a letter from the Ministry the week before, informing him of his father's court date before the Wizengamot. Narcissa had asked him to accompany her to the trial and to testify along with her. Draco was conflicted over whether or not to submit to questioning, whether or not to give evidence. He wanted his abusive father locked away in Azkaban forever, so he couldn't hurt him or his mother anymore, but he was struggling with everything his father had put him through, all the brainwashing to believe that Draco was to blame for everything.

"I'm sorry, Draco. That was uncalled for and unfair of me."

Draco sighed tiredly and reached over to hold Hermione's hand. Hermione was far past the stage of being surprised whenever this happened. Draco seemed to be in just as much need as Hermione for simple acts of connection, both of them being separated from their families and facing such huge changes in their lives.

"It's alright. You have a point, and so do I. Let's make a deal."

Hermione gave him what Draco called the "McGonagall stare". She refused about half of the plans Draco came up because of the sheer slyness of them. Draco sighed again, and she rolled her eyes and made her face relax. They were both working on their trust issues together: Draco to become more open, and Hermione to become less judgemental. Draco wrapped his other hand around their hands and released his facial expression also.

"I will go to my father's trial, I will be there for my mother as planned, but I will also testify and submit myself to whatever questioning they have in mind. In return, you will brew up some Polyjuice Potion for the both of us so we can go robes shopping in Diagon Alley so I can get out of this damn castle for fun reasons and so you aren't worried about Potter and the Weasel having conniptions over our friendship."

Hermione thought about it for a moment and then shook his hand. Draco grinned at her and squeezed her hand as he jumped up from the table. He released her hand and swept his books into his bag with a determined look on his face.

"Where are you off to in such a hurry?"

"I'm going to owl mother and let her know my decision before I can chicken out. You go start working on that potion, Granger. At least Slughorn is much easier to steal from than my godfather was."

Draco dashed off, leaving in his wake Hermione, who still sat, rolling her eyes. Draco was every single bit as bossy as she could be, and she was beginning to feel a little bad for every time she'd bossed Ron and Harry around.

One month later, at the beginning of December and two weeks before the Yule Ball, an elderly witch and wizard tottered into Diagon Alley, the wizard fussing and fuming, and the witch with a grim set to her mouth and a murderous gleam in her eyes.

"Stop fussing Draco Malfoy or we are going HOME."

"I'm not Draco Malfoy. I'm Edgar Smylie, remember, _dearest_?"

"Don't take that tone with me. We couldn't very well use hair from a witch or wizard. What if we ran into the people we're impersonating?"

"I understand why you used Muggle hair, Granger, but why your Muggle grandparents'?"

"It was what was available."

"This had better wear off by the time we get to Madam Malkin's. I cannot shop for my robes when I'm not my usual handsome self."

"If I haven't murdered you by the time we get there, you will be changing back to yourself, and I have the flasks for afterwards."

As they turned the corner, George Weasley stepped outside of his shop to sweep the front steps and smiled at the arguing old couple. They were such short little people, maybe five feet if that, and they were obviously having some sort of married people spat, which he found hilarious. He chuckled dryly as he turned back into the shop to tell Lee Jordan about it.

Hermione and Draco grew back to their normal heights and regular features as they were ushered into a private fitting suite by Joelle and Madam Malkin, who had been warned beforehand by Hermione that they would be arriving in this manner. Both had been sympathetic to her explanation of why she and Draco wanted privacy. As Joelle drew Hermione into one of the fitting rooms, she stage whispered her approval of Draco and the romance of their forbidden love.

"He's so handsome, mademoiselle, and a nice bottom if I may say. So romantic, you English and your shyness about l'amour."

Hermione's eyes bulged as she looked to her friend and realized that Draco had heard every word. Draco winked at her outrageously and blew her a kiss. Hermione rolled her eyes.

"He's just a friend and a terrible prat, Joelle."

"Mademoiselle, you should snap him up before someone else does. That bottom!"

Hermione rolled her eyes and diverted the older witch to the task of robes designing. For the next hour, suggestions were called back and forth between the fitting rooms and both Hermione and Draco were marched in and out of the sitting area to compare designs. Finally, they had both settled on robes that they were extremely pleased with and they were ready to purchase their robes. As Draco managed the payment and delivery arrangements, Hermione fished in her bag for their flasks of Polyjuice Potion. Suddenly the peaceful silence of the shop was split by a hoarse roar that Hermione knew all too well.

"Oi, Hermione! What the HELL are you doing with that bloody git?"

Hermione turned and glared at Ron and Harry, unconsciously stepping protectively between them and Draco, who looked unimpressed and had his wand already in his hand.

"It's called shopping, Ronald. What else would we be doing in here. What are YOU doing here?"

"We were on our way back from the pub and saw you through the window and came in to see if you were surprising us with a visit, and then we saw HIM with you."

Hermione glared at Ron and Harry. Everyone's wands were out and Draco was now at Hermione's side. Dueling was beginning to look inevitable. Fortunately, Madam Malkin was having none of that. At all. She drew her wand and sent them all out the door in a gust of wind, yelling after them to deal with their problems elsewhere. Draco helped Hermione to her feet after leaping to his, and Harry and Ron were already back in dueling stance. Hermione turned to her companion, trembling with anger but keeping her voice down.

"Draco. Kindly go home. I will come see you when I return."

"No you don't. If Gryffindor's are getting their butts hexed today, I'm helping."

"Draco, please. This is not the place to do this and it will not help your image right before the trial, fighting with two aurors in training. Please. I need to deal with this anyways."

Draco grumbled but nodded silently. He gave Hermione a quick side hug and then stepped away. With a loud crack, he was gone, and Hermione stood, facing down her best friends. Ron stepped forward as if to lecture Hermione, but Harry grabbed him and yanked him back.

"We are not having this out in the street. Hermione, please come back to the apartment with us. I'll make some tea; I'd like to hear your side of things before any of us does anything stupid."

Hermione rolled her eyes angrily but agreed. Neither boy offered her an arm as was their usual habit; she was so angry she was practically crackling with it, and her eyes were blazing with tears that were threatening to spill out. They trudged back to the apartment and Hermione stomped up the stairs ahead of them, startling George, who was just handing the reins over to one of his employees for the evening. Sensing something was wrong, George followed them quietly. Nobody noticed him because as soon as the trio had reached the top of the stairs Ron had grabbed Hermione's arm.

"We need to know what you were doing with him of all people, 'Mione! He's a death eater for Merlin's sakes."

Hermione lost it. She whipped her arm out of his grasp, crying out a little in pain from his tight grip. Harry looked a little shocked but Ron only glared at her, red in the face.

"Ronald Weasley, he's a former death eater and he's been accepted back by McGonagall herself at school so don't you think just maybe he deserves a second chance? Also, for your bloody damn information, you do NOT own me! I can go shopping with whomever I like! I can make friends with whomever I like! Neither you or Harry know what Draco has been through and you're full of prejudice towards him and you DON'T EVEN KNOW HIM."

"Well, how is it that YOU know him so well all of a sudden, Hermione? Did you go straight to his arms when you went back to school? I saw how comfortable you were with the greasy little git. I saw-"

Before Ron could get any further, George stepped behind Hermione and wrapped his arms around her protectively. Before Harry could sputter out a single word, a loud crack split the air, and George and Hermione disappeared.


	10. Chapter 10

_Usual disclaimer, I am not JK Rowling, these are my imaginings with her wonderful world and the characters who live in it. Thank you Rowling for giving us all so much inspiration. _

"Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year"

a fanfic by Cerys Dewar

Chapter Ten

Hermione had screamed when she'd felt a strong pair of arms wrap themselves around her, and when they landed at their destination, she was already waving her wand to hex her attacker. George wordlessly disarmed her and pulled her into his arms again. As his identity dawned on Hermione and the violence of her argument with Ron returned to her, she collapsed into him, sobbing with frustration and heartbreak. George said nothing, just held her tightly to him. After what seemed like forever, Hermione stepped back and he released her gently. She looked up at him hesitantly, wondering what he'd think of her for losing control of her emotions like that, but when her eyes met his she only saw kindness and concern in them. Hermione realized for the first time just how much like Mr. Weasley George had become. There was no judgement in his eyes, no sort of fear or anger, just care for her. He gently put his hands on her shoulders and squeezed.

"Sit, Granger. I'm sorry I didn't ask before apparating you here, but that argument wasn't going anywhere nice and I think ickle Ronniekins needs to realize how idiotic he's been and our dear Harry needs to realize how idiotic he's allowed Ron to be."

"I need to go back to Hogwarts."

"What you need is to breathe for a moment and not return to Hogwarts having obviously had a good cry and a horrible fight. As idiotic as your boys are, do you really want old McGonagall flooing over there and transfiguring them into household goods or smelly beasts because they made her favourite student angry."

Hermione finally let out a grudging laugh, and George sat down, grabbing her hand and pulling her down to the ground beside him. Hermione looked down and saw that George had conjured a carpet onto the ground. Hermione sat down cross legged and George draped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her in close to his side. She rested for a while, just thinking. Finally, she broke the silence.

"Ron and Harry saw me shopping and thought I'd come in to London to visit. They weren't happy when they saw who I was with and Ron lost his mind and started lecturing me as if I was a stupid little girl. As if he and Harry knew better than I did."

"Who were you with, Granger? You know my little brother is going to freak out over almost any wizard being within eight feet of you, and you must have realized by now that Harry hates any sort of confrontation between anyone he likes."

"I was with Draco Malfoy."

George whistled low. Hermione felt him tense up a little.

"You and Malfoy, huh? No wonder you didn't tell any of us you were coming in."

"It's not like that, George. Well, I didn't tell you guys because I was dreading your reactions, but Draco and I are just friends. He hasn't got any other friends and he wanted to get out of Hogwarts, and I agreed to it and we used Polyjuice Potion but Ron and Harry saw us before we were able to drink another dose to go home."

George relaxed again, but he pulled away and looked down into Hermione's eyes with worry in his own.

"Hermione, are you sure that he's your friend and isn't just tricking you? I will take your word for it, I promise, but I can't help but remember what he's always been like. And before you ask, yes, I have read everything lately in the Daily Prophet."

"He's testifying against his father this week, George. Lucius abused him all these years. He told Draco that if he didn't follow Voldemort and follow the dark that he would harm Narcissa. He actually did harm her, and Draco too. The war broke him too, George. I believe him."

George nodded and pulled Hermione in close again.

"And I believe you. You're not a kid anymore and if McGonagall trusts him and the Ministry hasn't locked him up along with Lucius there must be a good reason for it. Do you want me to talk to Ron?"

Hermione sighed and the grim look returned to her face.

"No, I don't want you getting caught up in all of this. When Ronald and Harry are ready to apologise, they know how to get ahold of me. It's not your responsibility to make them see reason and it isn't mine anymore either. They will simply have to grow up or they will simply decide...that maybe...I'm not worth their time."

Hermione faltered on the last sentence, sobbing between words. George wrapped his other arm around her and practically lifted her into his lap, gently kissing the top of her head and rocking her back and forth. Hermione wept, and George just cradled her, soothing her with more gentleness than she'd ever heard in his voice.

"If those two are blockheads enough to lose you, they are beyond hope. I do think they'll come around once they realize that they're wrong about all of this and especially about you. Just do your own thing, Hermione, and try not to worry about them, yeah?"

Hermione just rested in his arms but nodded to let him know she'd heard him and agreed. She and George sat like that for what seemed like an eternity, but Hermione didn't want to leave the comfort of his arms wrapped around her and his chin resting on top of her head. However, finally he stood, carrying her in his arms, and marched to the top of a nearby hill. He set her down and straightened out her jacket and her hair.

"C'mon. Let's get you back to Hogwarts before McGonagall sends out a search party. Besides, your ferrety boyfriend will be wondering where you've gotten to."

George let out a gust of air as Hermione punched him gently in the side.

"He's not my boyfriend."

George grinned and wrapped his arms around her, and he apparated her right outside the gates of Hogwarts. They walked towards the castle, George's arm draped across her shoulders once more, and chatted about little inconsequential things. George snuck her into the castle and gave her one last hug and a kiss on the head. She headed to the library, hoping to find Draco there, and George headed to McGonagall's office to say hello and ask to use to floo home. She felt a little bereft when she was alone again, but hurried to the library, where Draco was waiting for her. Without thinking, Hermione hurled herself into his arms, and Draco caught her and hugged her tightly. Hermione realized that Draco was shaking.

"It's ok, Draco. I'm alright. Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I just thought you'd be carted off to Azkaban for murder or worse, that you'd come back and tell me you'd thought things over and didn't want to be disloyal to your friends."

Hermione huffed a little and hugged him again.

"Draco Malfoy, do you really think I'm going to let Ronald tell me what to do?"

Draco chuckled a little, but couldn't really let it go.

"Did Potter say anything?"

"No, Ronald didn't really let him get in a word. He shouted in my face and I was getting so angry I almost could have murdered him. If George hadn't apparated me out of there I might be sitting in Azkaban right now. He brought me somewhere to cool off and then brought me home."

"Ah, the dead of winter, when a bookworm's heart turns to thoughts of love."

"What are you talking about? He was saving his brother from being murdered. He's been my friend for years, Draco. He's my ex boyfriend's brother."

"See Granger, the fact that you've thought of all this means you've thought of all this."

"Draco, you're being ridiculous. You and Joelle should go into business together as matchmakers."

"Granger, I'm a man. A man doesn't go around rescuing damsels from their idiot little brothers when a simple unforgiveable could eliminate said little brother and solve all the problems neatly."

"Well maybe in your circles men are like that, but with the exception of Ronald, the Weasley men are all perfect gentlemen."

"You doth protest too much, Granger."

Draco mockingly swept Hermione into a waltz, humming bars of tunes between comments that made Hermione blush and fight the urge to stomp on his feet.

"You'd better go see Joelle about a trousseau. I bet Weasley men propose before the first date."

"Draco Malfoy I am going to hex you right after the Yule Ball."

"Augh, this is terrible. I'm being used for my dancing skills. Admit it Granger, you're also keeping me around so you can check out my bum some more."

"Joelle was admiring your bum, not me. I don't like blonds."

"You wound me. Oh well, there's a first for everything. If George Weasley doesn't propose next time he sees you, perhaps I will court you. Just think of the scandal THAT would cause with the Weasel and Potter."

Hermione grumbled, and Draco laughed and kept spinning around with her until they were both dizzy. Draco wobbled down to the ground and Hermione collapsed on top of his leg. They leaned on eachother, laughing, and suddenly found themselves laying side by side on the carpeted floor, looking up at the ceiling of the library.

"You really are ok with Potter and the Weasel being mad at you because of me."

"Yes, Draco, I am. You're my friend now. I'm not going anywhere. They'll just have to come around to it."

"Do you think Potter's eyes will pop out of his head when he sees us at the ball together?"

"Yes, Draco. I think that is a very high possibility."

"Nice."

They stayed like that for a long time, talking quietly about everything that had happened, not realizing that McGonagall had been in the library and had heard almost everything. She walked up the stairs to her office and sat down at her desk, shaking her head and laughing softly.

"It has been a while since I've seen you so amused, Minerva."

She smiled at Albus' portrait and chuckled again.

"Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy are attending the Yule Ball together. Apparently she had a showdown with Mr. Weasley about it today."

"That's good, Minerva. About Miss Granger and Mr. Malfoy. And Harry?"

"From what I understand, Mr. Potter didn't get any room to speak...not that he would try, Albus. You know how meek he can be between those two."

A sneering voice seeped over from the other side of the room.

"Potter and Weasley will one day find themselves at the wrong end of Granger's wand. I hope my godson still has the sense not to be as idiotic as them."

Minerva and Albus' portrait exchanged a glance, but said nothing. Albus' portrait winked at Minerva and she smirked a little as she straightened out her paperwork. Severus in life had always been willing to speak about his godson, but it was quite something else to hear him mention Hermione without any insults or calling her an insufferable know-it-all. Things were indeed amusing at the moment.


	11. Chapter 11

_Usual disclaimer, I am not JK Rowling, these are my imaginings with her wonderful world and the characters who live in it. Thank you Rowling for giving us all so much inspiration. _

"Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year"

a fanfic by Cerys Dewar

Chapter Eleven

Hermione and Draco spent the afternoon before the Yule Ball in the Room of Requirement, practicing their dance steps, studying, and getting themselves ready for the party. It was Draco who had come up with the idea to use the Room as a hangout area, even though he'd been a little more openly participating in school life since Hermione had fought with Ron and Harry. They didn't speak to eachother publicly, but Draco liked to keep an eye out for her through the day. He found himself feeling guilty about Hermione's oldest friends abandoning her for his sake, but Hermione insisted that they were not going to stop her from spending time with whomever she liked.

Draco had been especially grateful for Hermione's frienship this week; that Tuesday, he had taken the floo into the Ministry and attended his father's trial. He had faced down his father and testified truthfully about it, and he had managed to keep his emotions in...right up until he'd floo'd back into McGonagall's office, where he'd broken down. The headmistress had immediately sent her patronus to go find Hermione, and had served him tea and biscuits by the time his friend arrived. Hermione, without hesitating, wrapped her arms around Draco, and he'd leaned into her, wrapping his arms around her waist and literally crying into her shoulder. Once he calmed down, the three had tea together, and then Draco walked Hermione back to her dorms and left her there after hugging her goodnight. Hermione had never seen him so looking so rough but she'd also never seen the look of relief and peace that was on his face. McGonagall said nothing, but observed a greater maturity pass over Draco, and noticed a steely resolve and a look of almost hope on his face. That night, Draco had slept easily.

Today, they finished all their homework and were enjoying a couple of Butterbeers that Draco had poured a little Firewhiskey into, just relaxing and chatting about life and random subjects. Draco had told Hermione that he didn't want to talk about his father anymore; he wanted to move forward and start a new life for himself. Everything the Malfoy family owned had gone to Draco's mother and to Draco himself. Draco being of age as a wizard now owned quite a good portfolio, and planned to purchase a good flat after graduation. He didn't want to live at Malfoy Manor, and he and his mother had agreed that they would sell it and each find new places to live. His mother had already started looking at elegant homes in the wizarding areas of London.

Draco had hung his dress robes out and Hermione had done the same, and she'd cast a steaming charm over them to straighten out any creases. She showed Draco the jewelry she intended to wear, as well as her shoes. They both loved good clothes, and Hermione was surprised to find how easy it was to talk about getting nice for the ball and how easy he was to dance with. She had even grown to truly enjoy and reciprocate his sarcastic humour, and it was amazing to have a boy she could talk books with. Draco looked at his reflection in the mirror there and frowned a little.

"Hermione, do you know any hair charms? I feel the need for a change."

Hermione looked at his white-blond hair, which was, as ever, slicked back in its same old style that she'd always seen him in. Her eyes twinkled a little at the idea of getting to see him do something a little different.

"It's funny you mention it, as I was thinking something similar about myself. What do you have in mind? I can do yours if you'll do mine."

"You and your dirty mind, Granger," he said to her, leering comically, "what would old McGonagall say?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and simply stared back at him. Finally he got bored of making faces at her and continued.

"I saw a few guys with hair a bit like mine but the sides were shaved off, and it just looked really smart. I think I'd like that; can you do that kind of hair charm?"

"I believe I can, but I have an even better idea. It will involve a third party but I can guarantee she already knows that you and I are hanging out."

"You mean the Weasley girl, don't you? St. Potter told her?"

"Without a doubt. Ron and Harry haven't sent so much as a sentence to me, but Ginny seems to still be the same...would you mind me asking her? She's much better at those kinds of charms than I am, and everyone is going to find out about us tonight anyways."

Draco nodded stiffly, and Hermione could tell he was a bit nervous. She squeezed his shoulder and sent Crookshanks with a note attached to his collar. Draco took a swig of Firewhiskey straight from the bottle, which Hermione then took from him and stowed in his bookbag. Ginny entered the Room to see Draco glowering at Hermione and Hermione just laughing back at him. She halted a little.

"So it really is true," she said quietly, looking from Draco to Hermione, "When Harry told me I believed him, of course, but I guess it's just a little strange to see. I would've said something sooner, Hermione, but you didn't say anything and I didn't want to ask. How are you, Draco?"

Draco looked absolutely stunned by her polite greeting and her calm acceptance of his presence there with Hermione, but recovered quickly and exchanged some polite chit chat with her. Hermione told Ginny what they needed her for and Ginny's eyes lit up and she did a small happy dance. Draco finally relaxed and let out a little chuckle, and the room finally settled comfortably around the three of them.

"Oh, I've always wanted to do a boy!"

"I didn't realize that was a concern of yours after what Hermione has told me of you and the Chosen One."

Hermione choked a little on her Butterbeer, but Ginny hooted and smacked him on the shoulder. When she pulled her wand out, Draco didn't flinch at all, he simply winked at her and told her what hairstyle he was hoping to have. Ginny smiled immediately.

"I think I know exactly what you mean. Hang on a moment."

Ginny waved her wand a few times, and Draco's hair began to slowly change. The sides went much shorter, and the rest just a little shorter. The change in hairstyle made Draco's sharp features even more stunning, and his hair looked softer and more touchable. Hermione couldn't help but realize how handsome her friend really was. She blushed a little when Draco turned to her, making hilarious parodies of some of the looks she'd seen boys like Cormac wear on their faces. Ginny chortled helplessly and pushed him off the crate she'd had him sit on.

"Go on with you, I need to do Hermione."

"Don't mind me, I'll watch."

"Draco Malfoy!" Hermione glared at him, but he and Ginny only laughed. Finally, Ginny was standing back, looking at Hermione from different angles and occasionally asking her to lift her chin, or pull her hair up off her ears, or lift her bangs up.

"What were you thinking, 'Mione?"

"To be honest with you, Ginny, I was thinking of a big cut."

Ginny did her happy dance again, and Draco applauded. Ginny pulled her hair this way and that a few times, and then finally nodded her head decisively and began to wave her wand around and around Hermione's head. Hermione watched Draco's face, waiting to see his reaction to gauge if the change was a good one or not. Draco's face lit up, and Hermione anxiously awaited the mirror. When Ginny finally brought her to the mirror and uncovered her eyes, Hermione gasped.

She didn't look like a teenager anymore, nor did she look plain. Her hair now only went to about her chin, and Ginny had done some sort of calming charm on it, so that her curls fell softly around her instead of sticking out all over the place. Ginny had also gotten rid of her bangs, instead having her hair sweep to the side. Hermione looked like an adult with the longer hair gone; for a moment she only stood there, staring at herself, unsure of the reflection before her. She knew it was her, but it was a her she'd never dreamed of. Ginny gently touched her shoulder with a worried look on her face, and Hermione smiled at her.

"I love it, Ginny. It's just very different. I never thought my hair could look so classy."

Draco sat there smiling at Hermione, and Ginny gave her an excited little hug.

"You look perfect like this, Hermione. I've seen old photos of witches in the 20s and wanted to copy something like that but I don't have the facial structure for it. Your features are so delicate and those eyes of yours are so big and bright, it suits you so nicely. Anyways," she said, slipping her wand into her pocket and giving Hermione a quick hug and grinning at Draco, "I'm off, I need to go get ready myself, lots to do, I want to try out a new manicure charm I found in Witch Weekly. And don't worry, you two. If Harry says anything I'll hex him myself. He'll come around _or else._"

With that, she whirled out of the room, leaving Draco and Hermione admiring eachother's haircuts and pulling their robes out to change. Hermione smiled at Draco and followed in Ginny's footsteps to go get ready in her dorm. Draco called out to her as she left.

"Yes, Draco?"

"Pick you up at 5?"

"Looking forward to it."


	12. Chapter 12

_Usual disclaimer, I am not JK Rowling, these are my imaginings with her wonderful world and the characters who live in it. Thank you Rowling for giving us all so much inspiration. _

"Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year"

a fanfic by Cerys Dewar

Chapter Twelve

Draco arrived promptly, and Hermione forced herself to not run to the door. Instead, Luna opened it, and she could hear her friend's airy voice greeting Draco. Hermione smiled. She couldn't have asked for a better start. Luna was never staggered by anything, and she'd be the last person to think anything at all of Hermione befriending a former Death Eater. Sure enough, as she neared the door, she heard Luna kindly welcoming him.

"Please come in, Hermione is approaching us just now and she'll be glad to see you. Your hair looks awfully nice like that and you really are quite handsome in those robes. I'm glad you and Hermione have made friends with eachother; she's really quite a good person. Oh, here she is now."

Hermione and Draco smiled at eachother, and stood awkwardly for a moment just staring at eachother. Draco recovered first, and turning, offered Hermione his arm, which she took, smiling up at Draco. They swept out of the dorm and down the corridors to the great hall. As they neared the hall itself, they heard several gasps and exclamations, and Draco winked at Hermione and grinned. Hermione silently laughed at her peacock of a friend, but said nothing.

They did make a very stunning pair. Draco was dressed in dress robes of a beautiful black silk that held a slight shimmer. The clasps on his robe were finely wrought goblin silver, and he looked princely and devastatingly handsome. Hermione was dressed in a floor length black robe of a different silk that moved and rippled like water as she walked. Her robes had a daringly deep neckline that showed off a little more cleavage than last time. She was wearing earrings and a bracelet, also of goblin silver, on loan from Narcissa, who wanted his son's date to make a stir.

Narcissa was no fool; she knew that Draco's friendship with Hermione made them look good, and she knew that Draco wasn't the type to shrink back and not be noticed. She and Draco had strategized with Hermione to draw the eyes of everyone there. Hence the black robes; everyone else would be wearing colours or glitter. Hermione and Draco looked so classic and so smart in their elegant robes, and as they entered the great hall finally, the whole room went absolutely dead silent. Draco and Hermione lifted their chins and looked down on the room, daring anyone to say anything at all. Finally, satisfied that no rudeness would occur, they sat down at a table with Hermione's roommates and their very, very shocked dates.

Cho and Oliver were together of course, as were Harry and Ginny, and Neville and Seamus were at the table as well, dateless but determined to enjoy the evening, as was Luna. Dinner passed a little more silently than usual, but thankfully when the first course was completed, Neville leaned over and asked Draco something about his mother's greenhouses, which Narcissa famously kept stocked with some very rare magical plants that Neville was intensely curious about. Draco lit up at the invitation to have a conversation, and he and Neville chatted all the way through until dessert was served. Ginny and Cho chatted about Cho's wedding plans, and Harry and Seamus and Oliver talked quidditch. Harry occasionally glanced over at Hermione, frowning, especially as Draco settled in comfortably and draped his arm over the back of Hermione's chair. Finally, dessert was over, and Ginny pulled Harry out on the dance floor. Draco stood and bowed gracefully over Hermione's hand.

"May I?"

Hermione smiled and allowed him to lead her into a waltz. They danced the first three dances together, Hermione a little nervous and disappointed over Harry's silence but determined to enjoy her evening. Draco gently squeezed her waist every time they passed Harry to comfort her. The rest of the room didn't seem to be paying as much attention anymore, though Hermione teased Draco that she noticed several witches paying him a lot of notice.

"Or they're glaring at you with murderous intent. You do realize you are easily the most beautiful witch in this room, right? You should really wear black more often."

Hermione blushed from his compliment, but was stopped from further comment when Seamus and Luna danced by and Seamus steered Luna into Draco's arms and drew Hermione into his. Hermione laughed at Draco's unsure expression as he regarded Luna's serene face, but then smiled, pleased, as Draco recovered and danced with her just as gracefully as ever. The two blonds did look quite stunning together. Seamus grinned and spun Hermione a little.

"Earth to Hermione, there. I never thought I'd see you and Malfoy together like that. He really is an ok bloke deep down, though. I was wrong about him, and I'm glad I was. Good for you being brave enough to be the first to see him for who he really was."

Hermione smiled at Seamus, delighted by his easy acceptance. Seamus could be a loose cannon, and she wasn't sure if he'd say anything. Neville cut in after that, while Draco danced with a very pleased professor McGonagall, of all people, and he also told Hermione that he was happy to welcome Draco into their friend group. Hermione didn't bother correcting anyone's assumption that she and Draco were romantically involved; all that mattered tonight is that their small school world would see the real Draco that she cared about so much. Plus, to be honest, Hermione had no problem with people thinking she'd caught the eye of such a handsome guy.

Hermione danced again with Draco, who filled her in on everything Luna had had to say during their dance. They laughed and danced easily together, Draco holding her close to him and leading her around the dance floor as naturally as anything. Draco had told Hermione about the many hours his mother had spent making sure that Draco knew how to dance, and Hermione joked that when she finally met Narcissa again she would thank her. Draco laughed merrily, but quickly got serious again.

"Looks like Potter is coming this way. If he asks you to dance I'll keep an eye out for you and I'll go get us some punch. If he's coming to start a fight I'm not going to tolerate it, though."

Hermione frowned up at Draco but nodded. Thankfully, Harry asked her to dance, and he gently drew her into his arms with a tentative glance into her eyes. His gaze faltered and he looked more at her eyebrows at first, but as they danced, he finally relaxed and held her affectionately like always. He cleared his throat and Hermione turned to listen.

"I am so, so ashamed of myself, Hermione. After everything you've done for me and everything you and I have been through together all these years, I should have trusted your judgement of Draco and I should have respected your decision to become his friend and whatever you two are now. I really am quite prejudiced against him and I realize I need to work on that. I am so sorry for being such an arse; can you ever forgive me?"

Hermione said nothing at all but threw her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. They danced like that until the song changed to something a little more upbeat, and then she and Harry did one of their sillier dances that they'd done in the tent those nights on the run. Laughing easily and holding hands, they walked back to the table to rejoin Draco and Ginny, who had punch waiting and were easily conversing. Draco rose to bring Hermione to her seat, and once he had, Harry stepped forward and clasped his hand and shook it.

"I am sorry, Draco. It's going to take me some time, but if you can forgive me, I'd like to be able to get to know you without all the other stuff between us."

Draco simply smiled a little and nodded, and they shook hands again. The four chatted easily for a while, drinking their punch and getting caught up. Draco asked Harry about Auror training, Harry asked Draco if he was playing quidditch anymore, to which Draco shook his head. They talked about their favourite players none the less, about the Ministry people they both knew, and the girls admired eachother's dresses. Ginny was in very festive red dress robes and looked like a queen with her hair swept up into an elegant chignon. After a while, Ginny noticed the conversation lagging a little and asked Harry to dance with her again, and Draco stood and bowed over Hermione's hand again, and they followed onto the dance floor quite happily.

Unknown to anyone, George Weasley was at the ball, under pretense of talking business with Hagrid about some smaller breeds of magical beasts that he needed advice on the care for. They were seated very far away from the action and nobody had noticed either of them with all the drama surrounding one of the golden trio attending the ball with a former death eater. As Hagrid rambled on about the correct feed for bowtruckles, George found his eyes wandering quite often to the dance floor, to Hermione in particular. George was absolutely started by the realization that Hermione was a woman, and not a young girl at all anymore. Whether it was the daring cut of her robes, which he had definitely noticed, or the fact that she was dressed all in black rather than the colours the other girls wore, George fully saw her as a woman for the first time, and realized that she was a very desirable one at that.

His stomach lurched as she danced with Draco, laughing and affectionately close to him. She had told him that it was only friendship and nothing more, but he couldn't help but wonder if Malfoy himself had gotten the memo, and he couldn't help comparing himself a little. An overly tall, somewhat awkward ginger who owned a joke shop didn't look quite as sharp as the wealthy and conventionally handsome blond who danced with Hermione. George frowned as the two of them said their goodbyes to the friends left on the dance floor (a few noticeably absent to make out with their dates) and made his excuses to Hagrid and followed them quietly out of the hall, managing to cast a disillusionment over himself in the process. He knew it was rude, but he just had to know if there was anything romantic between Hermione and Draco.

Draco and Hermione strolled back to her dorm at a leisurely pace, discussing the decor and the food and how her friends had received him. They were happy at completely at ease with eachother. Finally, they arrived at her door, and Draco gave her a big hug but didn't release her, smiling down at her instead.

"I can't remember when I've ever enjoyed a school event so much. Thank you for coming with me."

Before Hermione could say anything, he bent his head down to hers and kissed her deeply. Feeling sick, George crept away as silently as he could and then ran down the corridors, out the castle, and apparated himself home, where he proceeded to get piss drunk. If he'd only stuck around a little longer, he would've caught what happened next. Hermione and Draco both pulled away from the kiss at the same time and regarded eachother quizzically. Draco sighed, disgruntled.

"Nothing, Granger. You're absolutely beautiful and amazing but there's just no spark." Hermione laughed and hugged him tightly.

"I guess we'll have to settle for being friends, Draco. It's alright, I really don't think Harry could handle it if we were dating even if Ginny hexed him into submission."

"Or withheld sex."

"Let's not think about them having sex."

"Well at least someone will get some action tonight. Shall we have a dramatic breakup at breakfast tomorrow so one of those witches you saw checking me out can fall for me?"

Hermione laughed and hugged him once more before releasing him. Draco gently kissed her cheek and they squeezed eachother's hands.

"No need for that. We don't need to tell people anything. They'll notice soon enough that we're just the best of friends when you start escorting other witches into abandoned classrooms."

"Thanks for the idea, Granger. I never thought of classrooms. Speaking from personal experience?"

"Oh piss off, Draco."

Both laughed and then wished eachother goodnight. Both changed into their pajamas and crawled into their comfortable beds to wait for sleep. Both wondered if something was wrong with them, that they could go on such a wonderful date but not feel anything more than that. Both finally came to the conclusion that it didn't matter right that minute and that sleep was more important. Both of them drifted off to sleep, content enough in their own worlds.


	13. Chapter 13

_Usual disclaimer, I am not JK Rowling, these are my imaginings with her wonderful world and the characters who live in it. Thank you Rowling for giving us all so much inspiration. _

"Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year"

a fanfic by Cerys Dewar

Chapter Thirteen

Christmas holidays had begun, and Hermione was preparing for two nice, quiet weeks at Hogwarts. Ron was still not speaking to her, but Harry had floo'd over to exchange gifts, to travel back to the Burrow with Ginny, and to try to persuade Hermione to come back to the Burrow for the holidays. Hermione didn't want to go; she was worried that Arthur and Molly wouldn't want her there, and she didn't want to ruin the atmosphere. Harry tried to persuade her, but there was no use. Harry didn't want to keep pressuring her when she obviously didn't want to go, so he hid his disappointment and pulled her gift out from behind his back. Hermione grinned and handed him his.

Harry opened his first, on Hermione's insistence. Inside the box was a portable DVD player that Hermione had charmed to run off solar power, and a bunch of muggle films that she knew Harry would love, as well as a few classics he could enjoy with Ginny. Harry admired the many titles and hugged her happily.

"This is perfect. I can't wait to show Ginny."

"Be sure to watch Princess Bride with her first, she'll love that one and it's really quite funny, very cleverly written."

"Thanks, I'll remember that. You open yours, I'm excited for you to see it."

Hermione opened her box and simply stared. The box was full of shrunk down versions of the photos that hung in her family's home, but when she restored them to full size, she realized...

"Harry James Potter! However did you manage to repair these?"

Hermione choked up with tears, and wordlessly charmed the photos onto the walls of her room. Harry wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly as she cried.

When Hermione had obliviated her parents' memories, her image had vanished from every photo in the house. Now, she was restored in every single photo, exactly as she'd been before. Harry turned her around and walked around the room with her to look at each photo, and she touched them gently.

"Oh, Harry. This is the perfect gift. Thank you so much."

"I sent copies to your parents too...I hope that's ok."

Hermione beamed up at him through her tears, and hugged him tightly again. Harry smiled and danced her around a little. Just then, Draco walked in, wearing a dashing travelling cloak. Harry shook hands with Draco, and then told Hermione he'd be right back, he just wanted to check on Ginny and see if she was finished packing yet. Draco noticed Hermione's teary face and frowned.

"Has Potter upset you? I thought you'd made up."

Hermione smiled and showed all the photos to Draco, explaining about Harry's gift.

"I've got one for you too, here, let me-"

Draco stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

"No no, listen first. Mother asked me to invite you to please come have dinner with us at her new house sometime next week. I was hoping to exchange gifts then. She has enough guest rooms for both of us, maybe you could come stay the weekend before school starts up and we could floo back together?"

"Oh, that actually sounds lovely. Yes, please."

"Wonderful. I'm off then, I will see you then. Feel free to owl me whenever you like, ok? It would feel so weird to not talk for two weeks."

The friends hugged, and off Draco went. As he left the room, Harry and Ginny came in, Ginny packed and both dressed in their travelling cloaks. Harry and Ginny gathered Hermione into a big hug, and Ginny tried once more to persuade Hermione to come back to the Burrow. Hermione shook her head, so Ginny let up, not wanting to make Hermione unhappy. Ginny admired the photos around the room.

"Oh, these are good, Harry. You and George did such an amazing job." Hermione looked up at Harry, smiling.

"George helped with these?"

"Oh yeah. I told him what I wanted to do and he helped me find the right spells to make it happen. We worked on it together for a whole weekend." Hermione smiled at her friends, happily.

"I can already say that this is definitely the best christmas present I've ever received. I'll have to write George a note later to thank him too. Thank you, Harry."

"Let's see Malfoy top that!" Harry said, teasingly winking at Hermione, who rolled her eyes. Harry wasn't done teasing; buoyed up by the success of his gift, he kept rolling.

"Hang on, what did your new boyfriend get you anyways?"

"Harry, he's not my boyfriend. We're just friends." Ginny laughed at Harry and held out her hand, and Harry grumbled and passed her ten galleons, which she pocketed gleefully. Hermione's eyes narrowed at both her friends.

"Did you seriously bet on whether or not I was dating Draco Malfoy?" Ginny grabbed Harry's arm and spun him out of the room with a laugh, and Harry sheepishly said goodbye and that he and Ginny would come see her sometime over the holidays so they could have a day in Hogsmeade together. Hermione rolled her eyes as her friends fled, but as soon as they were out of sight, she chuckled, and reached for her stationary so she could write George a thank you note.

Harry and Ginny floo'd into George's apartment and merrily greeted him. George looked up at both of them and smiled groggily at their mischievous faces, all lit up with eyes sparkling.

"And what exactly are you two getting all silly about? Have you gone and gotten pregnant?"

Ginny and Harry laughed, and Ginny showed George her ill-gotten galleons triumphantly. Harry groaned with mock despair.

"You've taught your sister your terrible gambling habits. She bet me ten galleons that Hermione was not dating Draco and I bet her ten that she was, and it turns out that Ginny was right. I will never take a bet from a Weasley again, because I have learned my lesson thoroughly and would like to avoid the poor house." Ginny laughed again, but George looked up at Harry, stricken.

"She isn't dating Malfoy? Then why on earth isn't she here? Why isn't she coming to the Burrow with us?"

"She didn't want to come, George," said Ginny sadly, "She's worried mum and dad will be on Ron's side and she doesn't want to make anything awkward and she doesn't want to put up with Ron being an arse to her. Anyways, we should probably be heading over now or mum will have a fit. Are you ready to go?"

Just then, a school owl flew into the owl chute the Weasleys had set up in the shop for deliveries and dropped an envelope in front of George. George paid the owl and fed it some treats absentmindedly, and then opened the note, his heart lurching when he saw Hermione's signature at the bottom. He smiled as he read her thanks for helping Harry with the gift, and he wished he could have seen her face. He looked up at Harry and Ginny, waving the note.

"Thank you note from Hermione, speak of the devil. She really loved your gift, Harry. You really knocked it out of the park."

Harry grinned happily, but Ginny's eyebrows raised up at her brother's change in mood. Something had just occured to her, and she wanted to talk to Harry about it alone.

"Harry, let's get going, George can catch up with us, he's not even really dressed yet."

They apparated away, and George hardly noticed. When Harry and Ginny landed at an apparition point close to the Lovegood's cottage, Harry looked at Ginny quizzically.

"Hang on, this isn't our usual apparition point. What's going on? Are we bringing Luna with us?"

"No, silly. We need to talk. I just realized George is falling in love with Hermione." Harry gaped at her.

"Are you sure, Ginny?"

"Guaranteed. Didn't you notice the look on his face when he read her note, and how he seemed to wake up when we mentioned our bet?" Harry looked at his girlfriend again, shocked as the realization dawned on him.

"What about Ron?"

"Ron has been seeing a Ministry witch, hasn't he? Besides, he and Hermione never even did hardly anything together, and they're both very much over it. George is a good man, and Hermione likes him. Nobody would find it strange."

Harry whistled low.

"Should we say something?"

"Absolutely not. Anyways, I bet you anything my big brother is about to do something about it. It's going to be very interesting Christmas this year."


	14. Chapter 14

_Usual disclaimer, I am not JK Rowling, these are my imaginings with her wonderful world and the characters who live in it. Thank you Rowling for giving us all so much inspiration. _

"Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year"

a fanfic by Cerys Dewar

Chapter Fourteen

_Author's note: I know I usually post new chapters at night, but I'm having so much fun with this part of the story that I just can't stop! Hope you're all enjoying this as much as I am. 3_

George grinned the entire time that he was getting ready to head to the Burrow, formulating his plan of attack. Knowing that Hermione was not seeing Malfoy and was actually available had lit a fire under him; as he dressed and headed out the door, he had a fairly clear plan in mind to win her over. Before he left the shop, he sent the store owl to Hogwarts with a small box and a note. Satisfied with his initial effort, he apparated himself to his parents' home, where his mother and father immediately hugged him and pressed a cup of tea and a small plate of goodies into his hands. George grinned. There really was nothing like home.

About an hour into his visit, Molly looked into the sitting room, seeming to count heads, and immediately got a very worried look on her face.

"Harry, Ron, Ginny: why isn't Hermione here yet?" Ron's face set into a sullen frown, Ginny paled, and Harry stammered.

"There's been some...awkwardness with Hermione, and she didn't want to come and make things awkward for anyone here." Harry tried to be as diplomatic as possible, but Ginny and George's angry glares in Ron's direction made explicitly clear to Molly exactly what was going on.

"Ronald Weasley, what have you done to our Hermione? You go fetch her right now this instant."

"She's probably at Malfoy Manor with her new boyfriend, mum. She's made her choice."

Molly stared, gobsmacked, at her youngest son, and then into the faces of her other children.

"Hermione is seeing Draco Malfoy? How has this happened?" Arthur stepped forward, his usually mild demeanor gone and a quietly furious look replacing it. Even George stood up a little straighter.

"You all listen to me well. Draco Malfoy is no longer a Death Eater. I attended his father's trial. He testified against Lucius, and some of the things he had to say about his upbringing chilled me to my bones. They even used Veritaserum on him and the things he had to say were frankly, heartbreaking. He is a very misunderstood young man and if our Hermione has seen a better side to him, we will not turn our backs on her. Ron, go get both of them." Molly wrung her hands, sadly, then looked at Ron and Harry with even more worry in her eyes.

"Both of you, go get Hermione now and see if you can't find Draco while you're at it. That poor lad, all these years with that as a father and treated so terribly. I should've known better than to blame a child for any of this. Go, please." Ron stood, but began to shout at his mother, much to everyone's shock.

"Go get them? Are you all raving mad? His aunty carved up Hermione's arm so badly she nearly died! His family tortured and killed so many people we knew and they even hosted Voldemort in their home! He is evil and I cannot believe I am hearing this from any of you, especially after losing Fred-"

Ron never got to finish his sentence. In seconds flat, George had leapt over one of the couches and beat the daylights out of his brother. Before anyone could intervene, George stood up and apparated with a loud crack, leaving a shocked and battered Ron to deal with his now very angry family members. Harry pulled Ginny out of the cottage for a walk, leaving Ron to Molly and Arthur, who looked more angry and ashamed than anyone had ever seen them. As he and Ginny walked down one of the little country paths in the snow, Harry turned to Ginny, worried.

"Will George be alright? Should we go get Hermione now, or wait till it's blown over? Hang on, what on earth are you smiling for?" Ginny simply smiled and continued walking, pulling Harry along beside her.

"We will do no such thing. George is going to get Hermione, and you and I are going to enjoy a nice, romantic walk in the snow while mum and dad tear my idiot brother a new one."

Back at Hogwarts, Hermione read the note that George had sent her, detailing the process he and Harry followed to repair the photos, and hugged the small stack of books to her chest. George had not only explained how he'd managed it, but had sent her copies of all the books he'd researched to find out how it was done. Hermione was looking forward to reading every single word of the books, and laid them out on the table, trying to decide where to begin, when suddenly her dorm room was invaded by George himself, who looked very distressed. Hermione jumped up from her seat and ran over to him.

"What's wrong, George? Has something happened to Harry or Ginny? Your parents?" George said nothing, but wrapped her in a great bear hug.

"Everything is fine, I just witnessed some serious unpleasantness with my idiot younger brother. Mum asked me to come get you. Well, actually, she asked Harry and Ron, but Ron was being a prat, and Harry wasn't doing anything, just standing there like an imbecile, so I thought I'd come get you myself, and-"

"I can't go, George. I don't want to cause any more drama in your family. Ron will come around when he's ready, or he won't, and we'll just have to get used to it." She tried to step back but George only squeezed her tighter.

"You are part of our family, Granger. If you don't come with me mum and dad will be so upset, and Harry and Ginny want you there, and...I want you there too..." Hermione looked up into his eyes, finding herself unable to form words when she realized that he wasn't simply being polite; he really did want her to go back to the Burrow. George looked back into her eyes pleadingly.

"Please, Hermione. You belong there, and you really don't want mum to send dad to get you, or worse, come over here herself, do you?"

Hermione chuckled, and George managed a shaky grin at her, and they looked into eachother's eyes again, Hermione still wrapped up in his arms, looking up at him so quietly; George knew he should say something, anything at all, that they should be heading back to the Burrow to join the rest of the family, but he found himself unable to move at all. Finally, George managed a rough cough, and Hermione looked at him with concern, noting the dark circles under his eyes and the bit of stubble on his jaw.

"Are you alright, George? You look rough."

"Oh, I'm definitely alright now, Hermione. Anyways. Please say you'll come."

Hermione smiled up at him and nodded, then stepped back and waved her wand, magically packing her bags and summoning her cloak and mittens. She stepped back towards George and he offered her his arm. They walked in silence through the corridors, past an unseen McGonagall who beamed warmly at their departing backs, on to the apparition point just outside the school gates, both of them too shaken to say anything, Hermione's hands tucked into the crook of his arm. George felt as light as air and Hermione felt oddly choked up. It just felt so right, walking at his side like this, even if she was also completely freaking out at the same time.

She stole a glance up at him, and jumped a little when she found that he'd done the same thing. For a moment, time itself stopped, George's blue eyes stared down into Hermione's deep brown ones, and she found herself stepping into his arms as wrapped them around her. They stood there, staring at eachother again, until George broke the silence, throwing all his grand plans out the window.

"Hermione," he croaked roughly, "I'm...incredibly attracted to y-y-you." He faltered, staring with worry into her eyes as her small intake of breath kickstarted his heartbeat again. She stared up at him, eyes wide, for once not as loquacious as usual.

"Same," she whispered, her hands unconsciously gripping his jumper. Suddenly, she looked at him, realizing for the first time that he wasn't dressed for the outdoors.

"George Weasley, where is your coat? You're going to catch your death out here." George chuckled warmly and gently ran a finger along her face and over her bottom lip.

"I was so angry when I left and I wanted to get to you so badly I guess I didn't notice much else." Hermione shivered a little when his thumb scraped back over her lip again, but looked up at him, deep concern all over her face.

"Why were you so angry, George?" She still whispered, for some reason she couldn't get her voice to come out any more than she could pull her gaze away from his.

"A certain party decided to say some unsavory things about your choice in friends," George said, gently stroking some of her curls away from her face, cupping her chin in his large, warm hand. "It's alright though. I let most of the steam off before leaving, and getting to you was more important to me. Anyways, that's enough about that." Before Hermione could say anything, George tipped her chin up and kissed her gently, then waited to make sure he'd done the right thing. When Hermione's breath shuddered softly and she returned his kiss, he kissed her back more deeply, sliding his hand along the side of her face and down her neck and her arm, finally wrapping his arm back around and pulling her tightly into him.

Hermione felt that kiss right down to her toes, as if her entire body was electrified. She didn't even need to think about how to kiss him, she just _did_, just as hungry for his kisses as he seemed for hers. They stood there, in the softly falling snow, kissing and holding eachother tightly until finally, George kissed her softly, then her nose and her forehead, then rested his forehead on hers, smiling and gazing into her eyes. Hermione smiled back, tremulously.

"I didn't know, George."

"I didn't realize it until I saw you at the ball. I was visiting Hagrid to talk business. Those robes, by the way Granger, whoa." Hermione laughed, blushing, and George kissed her forehead again and pulled her into another embrace.

"You're going to need to get used to using my first name, you know."

"Hermione," he said, chuckling, "I'll try to remember, my sweet."

"Oh, that works too," another chuckle from George. "I do love hearing you laugh again...I felt so strange whenever I heard you laugh, that weekend before I went back to school...I didn't know why I was feeling like that about you...I thought there was something wrong with me, Draco even kissed me at the ball, it didn't do anything for either of us...I thought I was-"

"Broken, somehow?" George interrupted gently, "Like from the war?" Hermione nodded, and he gently kissed her again. "I don't think either of us need to worry about that anymore, do we?" Another kiss, then Hermione laughed gently. He looked at her quizzically.

"Your mum is going to kill us for being so late."

"Mum will understand. I'm sure she's put two and two together about my feelings after my dramatic exit."

"Do I even want to know?" George laughed as he wrapped his arm around her and led her to the apparition point.

"Definitely not, darling. Now, shall we go shock the family?" He waggled his eyebrows at her again, making her laugh. She stood on tiptoe and kissed him once again, and then he wrapped both arms around her and with a loud crack, they apparated.


	15. Chapter 15

_Usual disclaimer, I am not JK Rowling, these are my imaginings with her wonderful world and the characters who live in it. Thank you Rowling for giving us all so much inspiration. _

"Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year"

a fanfic by Cerys Dewar

Chapter Fifteen

Harry and Ginny were back from their walk and enjoying hot mugs of cocoa when George and Hermione stepped through the door at the Burrow. Arthur and Molly were in the kitchen. Ron was outside, chopping wood for the fires. Without magic. George shut the door behind them without taking his arm from around Hermione, and he squeezed her a little tighter to his side as they turned and regarded the looks on everyone's faces. Molly and Arthur had heard the door and came into the sitting room to see their son's arm around Hermione and the two sharing a quick little kiss under the mistletoe and smiling rather sweetly at each other; Molly looked surprised but happy and almost like she was tearing up a little, and Arthur looked immensely proud, especially when he met his son's eyes and saw the happiness and new resolve in them.

Ginny skipped forward and hugged both of them, not even attempting to separate them, and grinned at them both smugly. Hermione laughed and rolled her eyes at her friend, and George shook his head. Girls always somehow knew these things, and he'd never figure out how they knew everything, but at the moment he couldn't find a single fault with anything any of the women in this room did; he was so happy that he felt he could love just about any trait in the people surrounding him. Hermione jumped into Harry's hug and he whispered something in her ear that made her chuckle. Harry shook George's hand and pulled him into a hug. George smirked as he heard the younger man's whisper in his own ear.

"You'll be good to her?" George nodded, and Harry released him. The two young men smiled at eachother, and as Ginny handed George a mug of his own, they silently toasted eachother and drank. Arthur and Molly were embracing Hermione fondly, Molly scolding her that of course she was always to come home for Christmas, especially now, and then Molly got teary so she turned to prepare a mug of cocoa for Hermione while Arthur gathered her into a warm, fatherly hug. George sat himself down at the kitchen table happily and Hermione joined him, and as Molly fussed around the kitchen, sending Hermione's mug and a plate of biscuits to the table, Arthur seated himself and then reached out for Molly as she rushed past, quietly urging her to 'come sit with the children and I, love: it can wait.'

Harry and Ginny soon joined them (after some snogging in the rare privacy of the sitting room) and the six of them had a wonderful afternoon, cozy and healing for everyone. Since the war, these moments had become so incredibly poignant and were cherished to the fullest. Now and then George would gently touch Hermione's hand, and she'd turn to look up at him, and they'd share a smile, completely oblivious to Arthur and Molly's proud, happy smiles and Ginny's triumphant grins at Harry, who would just chuckle and kiss her hair fondly. Suddenly the door from the back garden slammed, and in stalked a still sulking Ron. Hermione tensed up, not sure what to expect, watching as Ron took in the sight of his older brother's arm protectively draped around Hermione, and Hermione took in the sight of Ron's black eye and bruised jaw. Hermione looked questioningly at George, who rolled his eyes slightly but chuckled softly and nodded. Ron frowned at his feet and mumbled something incoherent, then tried again with a frustrated cough.

"Can I have a moment alone to talk to you, 'Mione?" Hermione stood, crossing her arms, but George squeezed her arm as she walked by, and she leaned on him for a split second. She followed Ron into the sitting room, and those remaining at the table heard the door between them close quietly. Ginny reached into her purse and offered Extendable Ears to George, who smirked and pulled a pair out of his pocket. Harry took the Ears from Ginny and gently folded them back into her purse for her.

"You won't need them. I've seen that look on her face before. We'll be able to hear everything." George sat a little straighter, looking intensely interested, as everyone else tensed up, listening as Ron's barely audible mumble floated to them, waiting for the other shoe to drop. Sure enough, as soon as Ron was apparently finished, they heard Hermione, loud and clear, giving Ron the lecture of a century. Arthur and Molly turned a little pale at some of the language Hermione was using, George looked like he'd just won a lottery but also with new respect towards his formidable witch, and Harry and Ginny were leaning on eachother, laughing fit to bust. The two of them knew Hermione would calm down and be perfectly fine afterwards, and they weren't afraid of Hermione's temper.

Finally, Hermione ceased to shout at Ron, and they heard him pleading with her, and she lectured him again, a little more quietly, and then Ron must've finally said whatever Hermione was waiting for, because Hermione then stepped through the door and returned to her spot beside George, who returned his arm around Hermione, who nonverbally reheated her cocoa and sipped it, leaning into George. Ron trudged in and sat down at the table beside Molly, who summoned another mug of cocoa for him; she patted Ron's hand, pleased that he'd seemed to learn his lesson, and talk slowly returned to the table. Soon thereafter, Molly was preparing dinner with the girls and George helping her, and Arthur, Harry, and Ron were discussing comings and goings at the Ministry. Arthur had been promoted recently to head of his department, and Ron and Harry were both doing rather well with Auror training, Ron having been assigned to Kingsley as an intern, and Harry to Aberforth, who had marched into the Auror office one day, volunteering his services to 'keep that idiot boy Potter from any more kinds of madness'. George would occasionally through in an anecdote from the shop, and the girls would talk about school, Molly updated Hermione on all the grandchildren and everything she had planned for the holidays.

Dinner that night was delicious, as Molly's cooking always was, and after the dishes had been cleared away and everyone had declared themselves to be 'too stuffed to take another bite', out came the tea, and more biscuits, and the magical cards and board games. For the rest of the night, the entire table was engrossed in Gobstones, Exploding Snap, a Monopoly board that Harry and Hermione had introduced into the games hoard, and some new cards George had found in his travels. When the last biscuit had been eaten and all the tea was gone, Harry and Ginny headed out for a walk in the moonlight, Ron rambled upstairs to his room to write to Romilda Vane and ask her to come for dinner the next night, and Arthur and Molly headed up to bed. George led Hermione to the sitting room, where they closed the door and cuddled on the couch, kissing and talking and making all the small discoveries that couples have been making for centuries. Hermione was pleased to learn that George was also an avid reader, as well as a passionate cook, and George discovered that when Hermione read poetry to him, her voice was quite soothing and pleasant, and that she was beginning to think about applying for a job at Hogwarts after graduation, if someone would apprentice her, or that she would continue her magical research at a higher level. George pointed out that she could probably do both at the same time. Hermione chuckled and remarked that she'd have less free time than ever, but George hugged her tightly and stated that if anyone could do it, it was her. Hermione leaned into him, happily, and then chuckled delightedly when George summoned the books from her bag. They spent a few hours reading and debating the materials in the books George had given her, and finally, Hermione began to droop a little, and George walked her to the door of Ginny's room and kissed her goodnight, tenderly.

That night, Hermione slept, feeling safe and warm and elated from everything that had passed that day. George dreamt about having a coffee with Fred and telling him everything that had happened to him, about Hermione's cleverness and beauty, and his astonishment that a witch that amazing could fall for him. His dream twin laughed at him.

_Sounds like you two have found your place, _Fred said with a wry grin. George smiled, dazed as the full impact of his twin's words and the entire day's events hit him.

_I'm falling really hard for her, Freddie._

_Isn't it grand? You're not as broken as you thought you were, just that ghastly crater in the side of your head._

_She didn't seem to mind it so much when we were snogging and her hand was in my hair._

_Oddly enough, I'm really ok not hearing every detail, Georgie._

_Sorry. I wish you were here. I wish you could see me pulling myself together._

_I see it, Georgie, and I miss you too. I'm really glad Hermione is there to take care of you. I want you to be happy; don't be sad for me too much. Live your life and be happy. It's the best prank you could ever pull. _

_It still feels like you're with me when I'm working in the shop. I'm always expecting you to saunter out of one of the aisles, or bounce into the workroom with an idea for something new._

_Just remember when you get a really good idea for the shop, that's me giving you ideas. You can make the slightly less good ones, but the strokes of genius are all me._

George chuckled in his sleep, then finally fell asleep deeply, and drifted from the dream, tears in his eyes but a peaceful sense of rest in his soul.


	16. Chapter 16

_Usual disclaimer, I am not JK Rowling, these are my imaginings with her wonderful world and the characters who live in it. Thank you Rowling for giving us all so much inspiration. _

"Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year"

a fanfic by Cerys Dewar

Chapter Sixteen

The holidays passed all too quickly for Hermione, especially the time she shared with George. Even when George went back to work, every evening he would come back to the Burrow for dinner and to spend time with Hermione. During the days, Hermione and Ginny spent time with Harry and Ron, or they'd walk through the deep snow to Luna's house and spend an afternoon here and there with her. One night the girls even stayed over with Luna, while the boys all stayed behind in London. Hermione and George were happy and secure doing their own thing, and George seemed to instinctively understand that Hermione didn't want or need him around 24\7.

The day before Draco was to retrieve Hermione for her weekend at Malfoy Manor, George helped her pack her presents and send them to Hogwarts: a sumptuous dressing gown and a book of cosmetic and hair charms from Ginny, a gift certificate for Flourish and Blott's from Ron, a deep red Weasley jumper and fudge from Arthur and Molly. George had also gifted her with a super advanced Transfiguration and Charms book that he'd owled McGonagall to help him select, but Hermione wasn't sending that to Hogwarts, telling George with starry eyes that she couldn't possibly wait till school started up again to begin reading it. George smiled and gently ran his fingers over the cufflinks Hermione had given him; they were antique ones that she'd found in a muggle shop in Edinburgh, beautiful golden lions that looked as though they were roaring. George had become fond of good clothes and accessories when he and Fred had begun to prosper, and he smiled every time he looked at them.

Finally, Hermione finished packing her bags, and she and George spent some quiet time together, reading to eachother and chatting and of course, kissing. Around midnight, George yawned in the middle of a paragraph he was reading and lifted the book to apologise to Hermione, who was curled up with her legs slung over his lap and her head leaning on his shoulder; he realized that Hermione had fallen asleep, and he put the book down and sleepily gazed at her, in awe of the fact that she was there, curled up into him. He gently brushed a curl behind her ears with his hand, smiling happily, then he sighed. He felt a little bad being so happy when his own twin was buried in the family plot nearby, underneath all the snow. It had been so difficult being home so much, being haunted by so many memories of Fred even in the midst of all the hope and happiness. As a few tears slid down his face, he leaned his head to rest on the back of the couch, and drifted off to sleep. Off to his dreams where he was still a twin, half of Gred and Forge, part of a dynamic duo. There he was again, seated at the same table, wherever it was, and Fred sitting across from him. Fred also had tears in his eyes.

_We really need to stop meeting like this, Georgie. You can't stay here, neither can I._

_I'm not ready yet. I don't think I'll ever be ready._

_Georgie, Georgie, Georgie. You'll always have me. It's ok to move on._

George passed, exhausted, into the deeper sleep, and when Arthur came down for a glass of water, he smiled at the two figures curled up asleep on the couch. Arthur waved his wand and transfigured the couch to be slightly larger so they could lay down more comfortably, and sat for a moment on an easy chair nearby, tearing up as he saw the man his boy had become, remembering the little boy he'd been, and the other little boy who'd grown right along with him. He remembered all their little pranks, all their funny little jokes, the way they'd annoy the hell out of Molly but then say or do something to soften her up. Arthur took his cup of water and left the house, trudging to his workshop out back to have another good cry and remember the son whose absence screamed at all of them, but especially he and Molly, who remembered even the things that George could not remember. It was still so foreign to Arthur, to see one without the other, after all those years together, starting from the moment when Arthur had first held them, one in each arm, gazing down in amazement at his beautiful, unexpected boys. 'Two for the price of one,' he'd exclaimed, gleefully. Arthur folded his arms on his worktable and sunk his forehead into them, tears streaming down his face.

Inside the house, Molly sat in her rocking chair near the window of their bedroom, watching the light shining from the workshop, tears of her own streaming down her face. During the day she held back her tears, as always wanting to create the most perfect Christmas for everyone under their roof, but she'd been unable to keep herself from looking for Fred every time George walked into a room, and every time she heard George's voice without Fred's accompanying it with some sort of wisecrack, she remembered. Remembering hurt, especially remembering all day the way she had. Her heart ached with her loss, thinking of her handsome, clever son, laying out in the graveyard with her brother and Arthur's parents. It still seemed impossible that he wasn't there, that he wouldn't suddenly apparate into the room to startle her.

Arthur finally came back into the house, just as George woke and realized that he'd fallen asleep and that Hermione was sleeping in his arms but in a position that would leave her with a very sore neck in the morning. George looked up at Arthur, and noticed the tear tracks down his father's face. George stood, lifting Hermione with him, and walked to the bottom of the stairs, carrying her tenderly. He turned to ask his father for help, until he heard the hoarse whisper.

"I'll get the door for you, son." Arthur waved his wand, and George heard Ginny's door swing open slowly and mostly silently. George snuck up the stairs, silently as ever, almost running into his mother in the hallway. He gritted his teeth when he noticed her tears, and quickly tiptoed into the girls' room, gently laying Hermione down in her bed and pulling the blankets over her. He bent and kissed her cheek and tiptoed again out. Molly closed the door quietly behind him, and he cast a muffliato over the girls' doorway, then he draped his arm around his mother's shoulders, and they walked down the stairs together, slowly. George sat back down on the couch and Molly sat beside him, wrapping her arms around him tightly. Arthur got up from his chair and sat at George's other side, wrapping his arms around his boy and his wife, and the three of them cried together and shared their memories and their pain.

Finally, when their tears were drying and their voices were a little less thick and broken, Molly made some tea and they sat in silence, drinking their tea. Molly placed an extra mug on the table beside George, and George nodded and clinked his mug with it. Arthur squeezed his son's shoulder, and they made a toast.

"To Fred."

"Cheers, mate."

"Freddie."


	17. Chapter 17

_Usual disclaimer, I am not JK Rowling, these are my imaginings with her wonderful world and the characters who live in it. Thank you Rowling for giving us all so much inspiration. _

"Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year"

a fanfic by Cerys Dewar

Chapter Seventeen

The next morning, Hermione had breakfast with Ginny, Arthur, Molly, and George as she waited for Draco to arrive. Draco was planning to escort her to the apparition point and take her to Malfoy Manor from there, as Hermione didn't want to access the visual memories necessary for apparition. Hermione noticed that George and his parents' eyes were swollen and a little sad, but only gave George extra hugs when she could. When she'd come downstairs, she and George had been alone, and he'd simply told her that it had been a rough night for them, this having been their first Christmas without Fred, and Hermione had held him for a while silently as he shared some of his favourite memories of his twin, making Hermione chuckle through her tears. Then for a little while they shared memories from their DA days and school memories, and George told her about pranks they'd pulled that no student knew about. Hermione played with his hair and let him talk for as long as he needed, and on their way into breakfast, George had kissed the top of her head and thanked her, to which she responded by standing on tiptoe and kissing his cheek softly. Neither noticed the fond look Arthur and Molly exchanged at the sight of them, or Ginny's very pleased, very smug grin.

They ate breakfast and then drank a pot of tea until they heard a precise but gentle knock at the door. Arthur strode over to the door and welcomed Draco in, shaking his hand and enquiring after his and his mother's wellbeing. Draco politely told them that he and his mother were fine and hoped that Arthur and Molly were doing well. Molly asked him if he'd like a cup of tea, but Draco declined, stating that his mother would worry if he took too long returning with Hermione. Molly smiled and told Draco perhaps another time, and he smiled politely at her. Arthur and Molly went back to the kitchen where Ginny waited and told Hermione that Draco was there for her. George walked Hermione and her bag over to the door, where Hermione hugged Draco and asked how he was.

"I'm as fine as can be expected, Granger. I take it you've found yourself another Weasley." Hermione punched his arm with a mock scowl, but George puffed out his chest and hugged Hermione to his side.

"She got the best looking one this time around. And the cleverest." Draco laughed, a little unsure, but shook hands with George.

"As long as she's happy, I won't argue either of those points and hurt your feelings. You don't want to see this witch when she's angry anyways."

"Oh, you missed ickle Ronniekins having his arse handed to him by her last week." Hermione rolled her eyes and protested, but Draco's ears perked up and his eyes shone as he stepped forward eagerly.

"Was it as good as that time your mother sent him a howler?"

"Oh, it was infinitely better," George said, chuckling. Hermione smiled, glad to see that George was being kind and relaxed with Draco, and that Draco felt safe with him there. The boys teased her a little further about it, but then George wrapped her coat around her, along with her scarf, gloves, and hat, and kissed her deeply, making Draco roll his eyes.

"It's not going to work, Weasley. I am not embarrassed by the two of you snogging. C'mon Hermione, my mother is waiting and you'll see this ginger ape again soon enough." George laughed and kissed Hermione once more, squeezing both of her shoulders and then bowing in a mockery of Draco's posh manners.

"Do go on with master Malfoy, dearest, but do take care not to lose His Pastiness out in all that snow now, or let him upset his delicate disposition."

Hermione rolled her eyes and she took Draco's arm and allowed him to walk her down the path. At the gate, she turned to look over her shoulder one last time to see George blow her a kiss. She returned the favour and then punched Draco in the gut for pretending to vomit. A few moments later, they apparated, and Hermione found herself at the gates to Malfoy Manor, holding on to her friend's arm for dear life.

Draco and Hermione walked to the front doors, which opened with a wave of Draco's hand, and were greeted in a grand foyer by Narcissa Malfoy, who was devastatingly elegant in robes of the deepest navy blue silk. Narcissa swept forwards and took Hermione's coat from her.

"Welcome to Malfoy Manor, Miss Granger," she said, a little nervously, "I hope you enjoy your stay with us and I assure you that all the areas of the house that may bring you any negative memories have been blasted from the house completely, and you will be the last guest this place ever sees, as I will be blasting the rest of the Manor to shreds and moving on to a lovely new flat early next week with the new year. You see, my dear, someone has offered to buy the property and I have some memories I truly wish to leave behind also. What my family members did to you was unforgiveable, and Draco and I regret that we were too afraid to do more-"

"Please, Mrs. Malfoy, this makes me feel so awkward. I understand what you and Draco went though, and I'm sorry you had to face that, and I hold no ill will against you from the war. I'm happy to be here with Draco, to get to know you properly." Narcissa smiled at her warmly, and took her hand, leading her to an elegant sitting room nearby.

"Please do call me Narcissa."

True to her word, Hermione found herself overcoming her fears and actually growing to truly admire Draco's mother, who was beautiful and elegant but also very smart and driven. Her marriage nearly broke her down completely but here she was, rehabilitating the family name for herself and Draco, and building a new life with new interests for herself. She'd divorced Lucius and repudiated him completely, not even visiting him in Azkaban, and she'd donated a very large portion of the family fortune to begin a foundation to help witches who wanted to escape cruel husbands and also help their children. She was in the middle of detailing some of the foundation's initiatives to Hermione when suddenly one of the large windows in the sitting room shattered, blowing around the room and leaving small cuts in everyone's faces and hands. As the three of them stood, drawing their wands, two men crawled in the window's frame and into the room.

Rookwood and MacNair tore off their masks, revealing themselves, and began to hurl hexes at Hermione and the Malfoys. The three of them were all accomplished duelists and warriors in their own right, but the Death Eaters hurled spells with all the intensity and speed of the unhinged, and Hermione was absolutely terrified by the emptiness of their eyes.

Draco had knocked a large, ornate cabinet on its side, and they crouched behind it, taking turns throwing hexes across the room at their assailants. Hermione sent off a Patronus message to the Burrow for George and Arthur to alert the Ministry of the appearance of the two Death Eaters, and just managed to dodge most of the splinters as their cabinet exploded. One of their attackers had caused the cabinet to come apart and hurl bits of glass and wood at herself and the Malfoys. Suddenly, Draco was down on the ground, screaming with fear and pain as a Cruciatus hit him, and Narcissa growled and began to duel even more furiously with MacNair. Hermione fought back against Rookwood, until she too was hit with a Cruciatus curse that she hadn't managed to block. All the fear and pain of her last time here at Malfoy Manor returned to her, and the scars on her arm reopened and bled freshly again with another hex that Hermoine didn't recognise. The last thing she saw before blacking out was a group of Aurors apparating into the room and George and his parents and Ginny rushing in to help.

Hermione ended up in a special room at St. Mungo's, where the healers had a hard time getting the wounds in her arm to seal. They continued to struggle, as a frantic George wept into his hands and Ginny wept into Harry's shoulder and Ron stood, shellshocked, with his grim looking parents. Finally, a healer rushed into the room, wheeling Narcissa in a wheelchair and followed by Draco, who was covered in scratches and bruises and some rather nasty curse scars. Narcissa whispered something hoarsely to the head healer, and the healers assembled began to wave their wands around Hermione again, and finally the word 'mudblood' sealed up and stopped bleeding, but the damage was done. Hermione had lost so much blood that she would need to stay in hospital for an entire week as they fed her blood replenishing potions and worked to reverse the effects of the Cruciatus she had taken to save Draco.

Kingsley, who was now Minister for Magic, visited them all in the hospital room that day to inform them that McNair had been apprehended and returned to Azkaban but the Rookwood was still on the loose. Narcissa was moved to a safe location to be guarded by Harry and his mentor, as well as her estranged sister, Andromeda, who left Teddy Lupin with Molly and Arthur in the meantime. Draco asked to stay at St. Mungo's with Hermione, which Kingsley agreed to, assigning them two Aurors as a bodyguard. Additional Aurors would also be sent to Hogwarts and to defend the new buyers of the Malfoy lands, in case further attacks occurred during the Aurors' manhunt for Rookwood.

George also stayed, leaving Lee and the apprentices with the shop, and over the week that Hermione was unconscious they formed a tentative friendship with eachother. Draco was struck dumb by George's kindness after everything that had happened to Hermione because of his family, but George, sensing Draco's guilt, told him that blaming himself wouldn't solve anything, but that he had the rest of his life to prove that he was not his father, which left Draco quiet and thoughtful for a lot of the time. The two young men talked about Hermione often, Draco telling George about how kind she was and how she'd defended him without a second thought, jumping in and taking the curses that were being thrown at him. George told Draco of the Hermione he'd grown up with, and how he hadn't realized that she'd meant so much to him until right before the holidays.

Draco confessed to kissing Hermione, and George confessed to spying on them and then fleeing and getting drunk, which made them both chuckle over their mistakes. George talked about how he felt like Hermione had brought him back to life, and how right it felt to be with her, and Draco wistfully talked about how he'd hoped that he would feel that with Hermione but that she was simply his very best friend in the whole world. Draco wondered out loud to George if he was only getting what he deserved for being a death eater and a git, and George squeezed his shoulder and reassured him that it didn't work that way, that he and Hermione had also wondered if they were broken before finding their feelings for eachother. George told Draco that when the time was right, it would happen for him, and Draco grumbled but thanked George.

"Draco, you don't need to thank me. Friends encourage eachother."

"I didn't know we were friends."

"My girlfriend told me you've become like a brother to her. We're friends."

"She probably wouldn't let us choose not being friends anyways, would she."

"She would absolutely not."

The young men chuckled, and then turned back to wait anxiously for Hermione to come to and hopefully recover from the curse damage.


	18. Chapter 18

_Usual disclaimer, I am not JK Rowling, these are my imaginings with her wonderful world and the characters who live in it. Thank you Rowling for giving us all so much inspiration. _

"Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year"

a fanfic by Cerys Dewar

Chapter Eighteen

When Hermione finally woke, it was from a dreadful nightmare, and she woke screaming. She sat up as the lights came on, feeling the sting over every curse that hit her reverberating through her body as Draco and George and the night healer hurried to her side to calm her down. She hexed Draco across the room, even without her wand, but missed George, who wrapped his arms around her gently and sat behind her on the bed. The healer quickly cast a calming spell over her, and she relaxed. George brushed her hair away from her face and gently kissed her cheek, and Draco stood shakily and limped over to her bedside. Hermione looked at him, puzzled over his condition and her own, until she remembered everything that had happened. She paled to Draco's usual pallor and stared at Draco, appalled.

"Draco, I am so sorry! I don't know what just happened, I thought we were still at the manor and they were cursing us, look at your scars, oh Draco I'm sorry." Draco sat on the bed, cross legged beside Hermione and George, and gently squeezed her hands.

"It's ok, Hermione, I understand. It's not your fault. Are you alright?" He gently rubbed feeling back into her hands as George rubbed her back.

"I'm alright now, but that was so terrible, I didn't know there were any death eaters left on the loose. Your mother, Draco! Is she alright?"

"It's ok, she's fine. She moved into her new flat this week and the auror office has assigned her a bodyguard team. They've sent a team to Hogwarts as well, when we floo into McGonagall's office today she'll be briefing us on some new safety features they've set up for us, as prime targets for any renegade death eaters or snatchers. It's actually my fault, Hermione. I'm a target because I snitched to the Ministry. They want me dead." Hermione gasped, and George gently rubbed her arms as the healer checked Hermione's condition. Finally, she slipped her wand into her pocket and held out her hands to Hermione, who took them.

"Miss Granger, we need you to stand and we need you to have a look at the damage caused by the curses that hit you...unfortunately there are some scars, and we want you to face them now so if you need any sort of help coping with them you are already here in good hands. I am so, so sorry to be the healer assigned this duty but otherwise you may find them when you're alone and not have any help coping."

The healer conjured a large mirror on the wall and then led her towards it slowly. When Hermione looked in the mirror, she gasped. Her 'mudblood' scar was even more prominent, even though it had been obviously tended with the best of care, and now all along her throat, the side of her neck and up her face snaked a network of curse scars from the cruciatus she took for Draco. Hermione stood there, her image blurring in and out of focus from her tears. She pressed her hands to her face and wept. George jumped up from the bed and ran to her, wrapping his arms around her protectively.

"Hermione, you listen to me. These scars don't make you any less beautiful to me or anyone else; they just show how strong you are and how brave you are. You are a badass, love, and I am not going to let you tell yourself anything else." Hermione sobbed into his chest as he stroked her back and her hair, and then as she began to calm a little, he cupped her face in his hands, gently stroking the tears away with his thumbs and covering every inch of her face with kisses.

"You are beautiful, Hermione, in and out. Your scars make no difference to me at all. I am so proud to love a witch as awesome as you are." he kissed her, over and over. "Look me in the eyes, sweet, if you need any further convincing." Hermione pulled back a little and slowly brought her eyes to meet his.

As Hermione looked into George's eyes, she saw his honesty, his worry for her, and more love than she'd expected. He kept looking her in the eyes as he stroked her hair and gently caressed the scars on her cheek. She stood on tiptoe and kissed him softly.

"Thank you, George," she whispered. Draco joined them and she noticed he had similar scars as well. He grinned a lopsided grin at Hermione, squeezing her shoulder gently.

"Look, Granger; we match. Don't girls like matching their best friends?" Hermione weakly chuckled, and rested against George's back as she felt and heard his warm chuckle.

The boys left the room so Hermione could dress in her usual clothes, and then rejoined her as they awaited their auror escort. As they sat and waited on a bench in a private waiting area equipped with a floo, Draco handed Hermoine her beaded bag.

"Managed to save this," he said gruffly, "Saved your christmas gift too, I'll give it to you when we get home." Hermione gave him a sidelong glance, unable to refuse the opening.

"You'll do what now? You'll give me what? It?" George threw back his head and roared with laughter, and Draco grinned and smacked Hermione's leg with a laugh. Their laughter was interrupted by the arrival of their escort, an auror none of them had seen before. George stood with Hermione, wrapping his arm around her, and Draco stepped forward to shake the man's hand and introduce himself. The wizard was tall, of East Indian descent, and introduced himself as Armand Patil.

"I believe you know my sisters," he said softly, "the twins?" Hermione gently stroked George's hand as she felt him stiffen with pain at their escort's innocent remark, and George squeezed hers gently.

Armand watched as Draco, and then Hermione and George, took the floo, and followed close behind them, into McGonagall's office. McGonagall nodded crisply and then asked the group, along with another auror named Michael Rourke, to follow her. They walked down several corridors to a door that Hermione had never seen before. When she glanced up to see George's reaction, she realized that the door was new territory for him also. She sucked in a breath, catching his and Draco's attention.

"George if you don't recognize this door, that must mean-"

"Yup. It's new." McGonagall turned to them, her face set severely into a frown.

"This is a new dorm for yourself and Mr. Malfoy, for your own safety and that of your schoolmates. Only the six of us know it's location: we are all secret keepers here. I will spell you when we step inside to seal it. Mr. Weasley as Miss Grangers...partner...you will be allowed in on the secret so that you need only to floo into my office to come see her and you will be able to find her easily."

They walked inside the door, and McGonagall lit the darkness with her wand, speaking the incantations to set the unbreakable vow of a secret keeper on all of them. They all joined hands for the final spell, and then as they released eachother, McGonagall lit up the rest of the unit.

The rooms were spacious enough, with a well appointed sitting room with two sofa beds and duffel bags which Hermione assumed belonged to their aurors behind them. McGonagall showed them the two separate rooms and the small bathroom, as well as a small kitchenette in case matters escalated and they needed to stay hidden for a few days. Their things had already been summoned to their rooms, their books to two bookcases in the sitting area. McGonagall sat them all down at the table in the dining nook to lay out the conditions of their new living situation.

"Your auror bodyguard will blend in with the other aurors, dressed as senior students here. Professor Slughorn has prepared a de-aging potion for them so that they can blend in without causing any disruption and your fellow students have been briefed already that they are to treat them as students also. You will attend classes and meals together, and unfortunately you will need to stay on the grounds of the school until this is all sorted out. George, you may come and go as you please, but please only by flooing into my office. They could try to use you to get to Hermione."

"No need to explain, Professor. I understand."

That evening, they ate dinner in their dorm rather than with the other students, and Draco and Hermione finally exchanged gifts. For Draco, Hermione had gotten a copy of the Muggle book "How To Win Friends and Influence People", which made Draco snicker, as well as some truly good quality notebooks and quills and ink, which Draco admired happily. Draco gave Hermione an elegant black handbag, which confused Hermione until she opened it, realizing that like her small beaded bag, this handbag was charmed on the inside to hold virtually anything.

"For your dressier occasions requiring the contents of a small apartment," Draco said with a wink, laughing as Hermione hugged him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Draco excused himself to go write a letter to his mother, which the aurors would hand-deliver to ensure that an owl could not be traced to Narcissa's location.

Hermione walked to her room, followed by George. Hermione appreciated the safety measures taken but wanted some privacy and mental quiet time. She and George laid down beside each other on the bed, and Hermione rolled into his side, laying her head on his chest, soothed by his heartbeat and his large hand gently rubbing her back. She traced the top of the large 'G' on his jumper, saying nothing until the clock chimed midnight. She looked up hesitantly at George, who raised his eyebrows at her questioning look, waiting for her to speak.

"I don't want to sleep alone tonight, George, please, I know it's only been a few weeks, but I'd sleep so much better if you were here." George gently kissed the top of her head and waved his wand, transfiguring both their outfits into pajamas and pulling the covers over them. He wrapped both arms around Hermione, kissed the top of her head, and began to pretend to snore. Hermione laughed softly and George kissed her forehead. When she looked up at him again, he kissed her lips gently, and they drifted off to sleep entwined in eachother quite contentedly.


	19. Chapter 19

_Usual disclaimer, I am not JK Rowling, these are my imaginings with her wonderful world and the characters who live in it. Thank you Rowling for giving us all so much inspiration. _

"Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year"

a fanfic by Cerys Dewar

Chapter Nineteen

The next morning, Hermione awoke to the unfamiliar but wonderful feeling of George's chest under her cheek, his arms wrapped around her, and his legs entwined with hers. She smiled and gently rubbed her thumb back and forth over his heart. George woke up and she looked up at him, smiling contentedly; George smiled sleepily back at her, kissed the top of her head and pulled her in tighter, and then fell back asleep. Hermione, a little self conscious, nonverbally cast a mouth cleansing charm on herself and then followed suit, dozing in his arms.

When they awoke the second time, George chuckled when Hermione began to fret about how to sneak him out of her bedroom without the aurors, or worse, Draco or Professor McGonagall noticing. George trapped her with his arms and legs and kissed her while she fretted. Crookshanks glared at them from his chair in the corner of the room.

"Love, stop grousing. Draco is one of your best friends, and the aurors are grown men; none of them are prudes or innocents. Nobody is going to really be surprised that I stayed the night, especially after everything you've been through."

Hermione grumbled, and when they finally went to have breakfast in the kitchen with the others, she blushed furiously, much to George and Draco's amusement. Patil and Rourke were changing into their new clothes after being de-aged by Slughorn's potion, which McGonagall had delivered only moments before, so they hadn't noticed George leaving Hermione's bedroom. Draco, of course, had noticed, but said nothing. Whenever Hermione glanced his way he'd leer at her outrageously and then laugh when she turned crimson.

The aurors came into the kitchen and sat down; Draco and George admired the effectiveness of the de-aging potion, and Hermione got used to their de-aged features so they wouldn't seem so strange to her. Rourke, who had been a short and stocky, rather handsome middle aged man with salt and pepper hair, was now still short and stocky but now a teenaged version of himself. Patil looked quite a lot like a male version of Parvati, one of his sisters. Rourke commented how nice it felt to have a young body again and Patil grumbled about missing his beard. After breakfast, it was time for classes; George had to leave but promised to return that weekend the moment the week's classes were done, and Hermione and her three roommates walked to their classes.

Friday evening finally arrived, and with it George. When he arrived he was saddened to see the dark circles under Hermione's eyes and how frail she was looking; he hadn't seen her like that since she'd returned to school. As he wrapped his arms around her, he noticed that she was definitely thinner. He glanced over at Draco and found that he was also thinner and looked exhausted. George led Hermione to the couch and made her sit, then headed to the kitchen. Hermione looked, puzzled, at Draco and her auror roommates, until George returned, carrying a tray with tea and sandwiches, which he proceeded to serve to everyone, filling both Draco and Hermione's plates.

"Eat, please. You two are beginning to look skeletal, and the last thing you need when you're already worn down with worrying is to neglect your health. If you argue with me I'll put you both in a full body bind and hand feed you." The aurors chuckled and happily ate their food, and finally, Draco and Hermione did the same. As they relaxed and ate, George asked them how they were holding up. There was no new news about the whereabouts of Rookwood: Draco was losing sleep over his mother's safety and Hermione was losing sleep over Draco's safety. Both were also having nightmares about the attack itself, and George noticed Hermione shuddering whenever the skin around one of her scars pulled if she moved too quickly or made a face.

As the sandwiches disappeared, even the ones on Draco and Hermione's plates, the aurors went to the kitchen to file some paperwork and write to their wives. George, Draco, and Hermione relaxed, and Draco cheekily poured some Firewhiskey into the teapot with the tea. As they enjoyed the warming sensations of the spiked tea, some colour returned to Hermione's cheeks and Draco loosened up a little. Finally, he relaxed enough to talk about what had happened.

"It wasn't the first time we'd been attacked in our home, you know. Voldemort attacked my father and threatened mother and I when he moved into the Manor...if it hadn't been for Bellatrix, I think he would've killed us all...I don't think I slept very much that year."

Hermione curled her legs into her chest and stared at her knees. George didn't try to draw her into him like he normally would; he sensed somehow that she was struggling and needed space. Finally, she seemed to find herself again a little, and she reached over and squeezed Draco's shoulder.

"Harry and I...and Ron...we didn't sleep very much either. Even when it was our turn to sleep, none of us really did...we didn't know if our families or friends were safe at all, we were cut off completely from almost all news..." George took her hand gently and she grasped it tightly.

"We were all worried about you three, back home," George said. "Every time someone came into the shop, we wondered if they were coming to tell us that you'd been captured and killed, and sometimes we worried that they would come destroy our shop and kill us. I honestly wanted to close the shop and go home to mum and dad...but Fred...Fred said we had to keep the shop open, to show Voldemort that we weren't going to give up on bringing happiness to kids' lives, and he and I worked so hard on the radio stuff, and the products to help people hide..."

"We listened whenever we could to Potterwatch," Hermione said, "the first time we heard it, I'll never forget how good it was to hear your voices, to not feel so isolated anymore, to know everyone was still hoping for us to succeed. It saved our sanity sometimes. I never wanted to tell the boys how scared I was, especially Harry...I felt like I had to be strong for them, to keep it together and not get too emotional. I was worried sick the whole time; I knew if the death eaters somehow managed to find my parents and kill them that I may never find out until the war was all done with, if I even survived..." George hugged Hermione, who had begun to shake as she told her story.

"I listened to it, just once," Draco whispered, "we had a radio in the attic, and I'd hide in there occasionally if I could get away from everyone else. I wished so badly that I'd been born into a family on the right side of things, that I could fight back. If it hadn't been for mother I would've ran away...I never tried it...I couldn't leave her. I always wished I could be as hilarious as you and Fred were...I always wished that I'd had a brother I could be that close with."

George stared at Draco, stricken, tears falling down his cheeks; Hermione gently stroked his hand and felt her own eyes streaming.

"I wish you had, too," George suddenly croaked, his voice roughened, "He was like half of me. Right up until he died, I always felt so secure, having him at my side. We had our fights like any other siblings, but we were always a team even at those times. With him gone, I feel like I've lost my soul sometimes...but I'd go through losing him all over again, if I could go back in time and live the exact same life over again with him as my brother...I wouldn't change anything, except maybe tell him...tell him more often how much he meant to me."

They stayed silent a little while, all three with tears streaming down their faces, drinking their whiskey-laden tea; Hermione leaning on George but holding one of Draco's hands. Draco squeezed her hand gently, but George broke the silence again.

"Draco...I want you to come to the Burrow with us, next time Hermione and I go without the others. We've always got room for one more; just ask Hermione and Harry, my mum adopted them right from day one. If you want more of a family...you'd be welcome to join ours."

Draco choked up, and Hermione looked up at George, amazed by his generosity and caring heart, even in the midst of his own pain and grief. His face was still streaked with tears, but Hermione found him more beautiful in that moment than she had ever found any man ever, and she found herself, even in her pain, falling for him even more.

Draco drained his teacup and excused himself, saying he needed some time alone. George rose to his feet and they shook hands, and George patted Draco on the back as he turned. Draco looked back at George, surprised by the gesture, and even smiled at him a bit. When Draco disappeared, George turned back to Hermione and held out his hands to pull her up from the couch. He gathered Hermione into his arms and held her tightly.

"I miss him, love. I'm always going to miss him, even when you make me the happiest I've been in such a long time, and you bring so much to my life, but-"

"You don't have to explain, George. It's ok. I'll always be a bit sad too about everyone we've lost...I don't expect you to be perfectly happy after everything that's happened just because we're dating."

George kissed her gently.

"I am perfectly happy about that, love." Hermione smiled, and he kissed her again, and then scooped her up into his arms and carried her off to her bedroom. Hermoine laughed a little, softly, but watched out for the aurors, which made George snicker a little.

"C'mon, love, stop looking out for your bodyguards. You're with me tonight, and you're mostly safe."

"Mostly?"

"You heard me." George waggled his eyebrows at her as he laid her down on the bed and kissed her.


	20. Chapter 20

_Usual disclaimer, I am not JK Rowling, these are my imaginings with her wonderful world and the characters who live in it. Thank you Rowling for giving us all so much inspiration. _

"Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year"

a fanfic by Cerys Dewar

Chapter Twenty

More weeks passed, and more weekends, and when Spring was beginning to creep into the grounds of Hogwarts, when George's presence no longer caused any sort of teasing from Draco, news finally came of Rookwood's capture and return to Azkaban. Patil and Rourke returned to their wives and their usual auror duties, and Draco and Hermione began to study for their NEWTs. McGonagall granted Draco and Hermione continued use of the secret dorms after Draco approached her to ask if they could stay there; Draco had branched out somewhat socially and had certainly gained the friendship of most of Hermione's friends, but he had grown comfortable having Hermione as a roommate. Hermione enjoyed the additional quiet, not sharing with three other girls, but visited her old roommates often and Draco and Hermione hosted a few gatherings of their own for their friends, once the location of their dorm was no longer a secret.

George arrived one weekend at the end of March, grinning ear to ear, as Draco left to spend a weekend at his mother's flat. Hermione blushed and found herself quite shy and speechless; she and George hadn't been truly alone in the dorm before, and she wondered if George had been thinking about the same fact. When the portrait door closed behind Draco, she got her answer as George gently kissed her and slowly pressed her into one of the walls. For the next long while, they kissed, Hermione's arms around his neck and her hands in his hair, his hands running up and down her sides and back, causing her to become quite short of breath.

George turned her and continued kissing her, walking her backwards until finally they were in her bedroom. Within the next hour, Hermione and George made love for the first and second times together, and Hermione enjoyed the realization that there was absolutely nothing wrong with her in that sense; she'd been pleasantly surprised at how easy it was with George. She hadn't hesitated even for a moment, and even though they both fumbled a little and there was some initial shyness on her part and awkwardness on his, they found their way. Hermione cuddled into George's chest and he held her tightly afterwards, kissing her softly.

"Was I gentle enough, love?"

"Yes. Did I do alright? The furthest I'd really ever gotten was with Viktor, and even with him it was only really making out..."

"I am a happy man. Don't overthink it too much. It was amazing."

Hermione blushed, and then George chuckled and pulled her close, kissing her again. For the rest of the afternoon, they enjoyed and explored eachother some more, and after that weekend, George began spending all of his weekends sleeping in Hermione's bed with her. Sometimes he had to go into the shop, but he always came back at the end of the day, even when Draco would tease Hermione about it. After a while, Hermione stopped being shy about it, and even became quite bold herself. One weekend, as she was packing a weekend bag to go to the Burrow with George and Draco, George interrupted her packing and they were delayed by an hour. Draco snickered when Molly scolded them for being late and making her worry, but then stood, shocked, staring at Hermione and George, as Molly then gathered him into a hug and welcomed him.

He found himself truly enjoying being there, sitting around the small table with tea and biscuits, chatting about school, and the wizarding world, and random topics that came up. He was surprised at how easily he was able to talk about his classes and his mother and just everything. He'd always felt a tinge of pity for the Weasleys, being pureblood but having so little, but as he sat at their table, surrounded by the evidence of their family, even seeing the sadness in their eyes and the way they looked at George, concerned but cautiously happy for his relationship with Hermione, he realized that there was no reason to pity them.

The weekend passed all too quickly for Draco, and suddenly it was Sunday afternoon: Molly was working on dinner quite happily in the kitchen, having asked Draco which foods he liked best, George and Hermione had gone for a walk, and Draco was out in the yard enjoying a cup of tea with Arthur after helping him de-gnome the garden. Draco was a bit dirty from the gnomes and the garden, and he was dressed in some spare clothes of George's that Molly had cast an altering spell on so they would fit him, as he wasn't as broadly built as George. Draco had never worn hand-me-downs, and he had certainly never been dirty, at least as far as he could remember, but Draco realized that he'd never felt as peaceful and content as he did in that moment. Arthur suddenly thanked Draco, and reached over and patted his shoulder, and Draco stared at him, shocked.

"Why are you being so kind to me, after everything my family did?" Arthur sipped his tea, furrowing his brows, until he finally spoke.

"You haven't had enough kindness in your life, lad. I knew your father was not a good man, if you don't mind my saying so, but I hadn't realized the full extent of just how cruel your life has been. Even if I had known, I don't know if I could have helped, but I am a firm believer in making amends, young man. Also, I have realized that you are a fine young man; Molly and I are really enjoying having you here."

Draco said nothing, leaning on the fence with his arms crossed, deep in thought. Finally, after taking a deep breath a few times and releasing it, he broke his silence.

"Nobody has ever told me they enjoyed my company before." Arthur eyed him over the top of his cup as he drank the rest of his cup.

"Draco, the one comfort you can take is that you are still young. At eighteen, your life hasn't even really started yet; you're not even finished school yet. You have the rest of your life to realize that everyone you met before was wrong about you, and most importantly that YOU were wrong about you. You are not who we thought you were; you are not who Hermione and George once thought you were. In time, you will prove yourself more and more: you just need to be unafraid of showing who you really are and taking the time to find out who you are."

Draco stood, deep in thought, and Arthur stood with him, just as quietly. He didn't interrupt Draco's thoughts, he didn't lecture or try to direct Draco, he just stood there with him, and Draco found himself truly respecting a man that he used to laugh at.

"I was so wrong about you. When I was a kid, I mean. I don't know how to tell you just how sorry I am." Arthur chuckled drily.

"It's not your fault, and frankly, Molly and I know full well what a lot of people think of us and we don't really care. Other people's opinions of us do not matter to us; we know who we are and we're happy with our lot in life. We've never really made a habit of worrying about what anyone's saying about us, and at our age, we are content."

"Content. I don't think I've ever been content my entire life," Draco said, unable to hide the bitterness in his voice.

"You will find your contentment in time, son." Arthur patted Draco's shoulder again, and if he noticed Draco's emotions at being called 'son' and receiving affection, he didn't show it. Finally, Draco found his voice again.

"Thank you."

Arthur smiled and gave Draco a hug, then took his cup from him, and turned to walk back to the house. Draco climbed up and sat on the fence, looking out over the rolling fields around the Burrow, thinking about everything Arthur said and giving up on fighting the tears streaming down his face. He didn't notice George approaching, and jumped a little when George climbed up to join him on the fence. He looked sideways at George and smirked, brokenly.

"Your father hugged me."

"My mum hugged you too."

"Yes, but I've never been hugged by a man before."

George looked at Draco for a moment, then stood and walked over. Then he hugged Draco.

"There. Now you've been hugged by two. Everybody needs hugs, even you." As he walked away, Draco found himself struggling with the overflow of emotions he felt, having been accepted and even cared for by people he'd once looked down on. He turned and watched as George opened the back door into the kitchen as Molly appeared, gesturing to Draco to hurry up.

"Come on, dear; come join the family for supper."

Draco jumped off the fence and jogged towards the house, and when he stood in the doorway, Molly gave him a fond smile and shooed him off to go wash his hands and get ready for the meal. As he sat down, he looked at each of the four people around him: Hermione, who'd adopted him first, and now people whom he'd once derided proudly, who now called him 'son' and 'dear' and welcomed him to their table lovingly. His eyes met Hermione's, and he found himself grinning at her. She smiled back and kicked his foot with a grin, and George gave her a little side hug and then smiled at Draco.

"Welcome home, Pasty."

"Thanks, Gingernut."


	21. Chapter 21

_Usual disclaimer, I am not JK Rowling, these are my imaginings with her wonderful world and the characters who live in it. Thank you Rowling for giving us all so much inspiration. _

"Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year"

a fanfic by Cerys Dewar

Chapter Twenty-One

As spring finally came into full bloom, Hermione began to stress completely about her NEWTs, much to the frustration of Draco, who'd never been driven so hard to study in his life to keep up with someone, and George, who was concerned about the toll it was taking on his girlfriend but unsure how to express his concern without coming across as unsupportive or minimizing. Hermione was thankfully, not losing any more weight at all, but was paler than ever and had dark circles under her eyes. Between everything going on in her life, George's only consolation was that she was happier at least; she'd looked less and less haunted and was finally beginning to sleep without nightmares at all...at least when she actually did sleep at all.

One Saturday afternoon, on his way to see Hermione, George stopped in to have a quick visit with McGonagall, for whom he always brought a tin of good tea and more antidotes for his shops' products, and hesitantly expressed his worries about Hermione's state over the NEWTs.

"I don't want to come across like I don't care about her success at all, but I know she's going to get top grades either way and I don't like how pale and exhausted she looks. I'm worried about her stressing herself to death over this." McGonagall's facial expression didn't change much, but she raised her eyebrows as she shuffled some papers on her desk and sipped her tea.

"I have no doubts as to Hermione's abilities as far as passing her NEWTs with flying colours, and I agree that she is working herself a little too much lately...I think I have just the thing. She hasn't seen her parents since the summer after the battle here...I really think she's due to go see them. I'm sure enough time has passed for them to think things over, and she really should deal with that particular hurdle sooner rather than later."

"Do you think she'd go?" McGonagall raised her eyebrows and looked over her spectacles at George's worried face.

"I think, Mr. Weasley, that you will somehow find a way to convince her. Bring Malfoy too; he could use the change of scenery and the sun might do the poor boy some good. He looks more like a ghost than ever." George nodded silently, thanked her for the tea and advice, and went in search of Hermione. McGonagall went back to her work, satisfied with herself.

George found Hermione, as usual, in the library with Draco. Hermione looked absolutely dogged and Draco looked like he wanted to hex her into silence. George knocked on one of the book cases nearby and they both jumped, startled out of what looked like a tense mood. Hermione jumped up and hugged George, and as George kissed the top of her head he exchanged a quick look with Draco that confirmed his suspicions. He kissed Hermione gently on the lips and then held her at arm's length and looked her in the eyes.

"I've just been to tea with McGonagall, and she was saying that we should take a week and go to Australia to go see your parents. She thinks the change of scene would do you and Pasty here a world of good before you sit your NEWTs. She's worried that her two top students may collapse from exhaustion before the exams themselves and seeing the two of you like this, I can't help but agree, so why don't we go and pack and take the floo to my place and then you can apparate us there?" Hermione chewed her bottom lip as Draco cheered and packed her book bag for her. As he made to escape the library, George put up a hand to stop him.

"Not so fast. You're coming too. McGonagall's orders. Go write your mother and tell her you'll be taking a little vacation with us. You look so pale the house elves might fold you right up with your sheets some morning." Draco rolled his eyes and sneered, but turned and headed to the Owlery to send his mother a message. George gently ran his hands up and down Hermione's arms and let her lean into his chest. She looked up at George, and George waited, knowing she was working out what to say.

"It's a good idea; I'd like to see how they're doing instead of just sending letters, and maybe seeing me will help them forgive me and mend our relationship. Are you really sure you can take time from the shop, George?"

"Don't you fret one bit. I could use the change of scene myself, to be honest, and as long as you don't mind having me with you-"

"Of course not, George. I am glad you'll be coming along; I'm just nervous, we've never really travelled before and we'll have Draco with us and..."

"Hermione, darling, don't worry. Everything will be fine, and your parents will be glad to see you...and I'd really like to meet them...if that's alright..." he suddenly felt a bit shy, and resumed stroking her arms. He sighed and leaned his forehead against Hermione's, too nervous to look her in the eyes. "Actually, I was hoping to see if they approve of me."

Hermione threw her arms around his neck and kissed him, pressing him against the book case, and he happily wrapped his arms around her and reciprocated, until a shocked and annoyed hiss came from Madam Pince's desk. Hermione and George both coloured and paled in turns as they scurried out of the library. When they finally stepped into the dorm, they laughed a little and then went to Hermione's room to pack. Finally, they met Draco, who'd also packed, in the sitting area, and the three walked to McGonagall's office, said their goodbyes to the headmistress, and flooed into George's apartment. George threw together everything he needed in a rucksack, and then held Hermione's hand. Draco took her other hand and she apparated them away.

Hermione made the arrangements to rent a small cottage about ten minutes away from where her parents lived, and handled all the muggle money for groceries and such, and they spent the afternoon settling in, and Hermione went alone for her first visit, leaving the boys to enjoy a beach nearby.

As she walked to the front door, her stomach tightened in several knots, and her hands shook; she wished she'd sent them some sort of note ahead of time so they were warned. What if they didn't want her there, or were still angry with her? She knocked on the door before she could lose courage and turn, and felt her heart pound in her chest when she heard her father's footsteps. He opened the door and looked at Hermione in shock. Hermione tried to smile, but her lips trembled and she couldn't quite manage. Thankfully, before she teared up, her father stepped out onto the front step and gathered her into a big hug. She cried, her father cried and fussed over the scars on her face, and then when her mother came to the door to investigate the commotion, the three of them hugged and cried some more.

"I'm so sorry I didn't tell you I was coming, mum, it was a last minute decision, our headmistress thought we were working too hard."

"We? You've brought someone with you, dear?" Hermione's mother looked over her shoulder, a little puzzled.

"Two someones, actually: I have George and Draco with me, we rented a cottage." Her mum looked surprised, but gently rubbed her arm and smiled.

"Sounds like things have gotten pretty serious with George. You'd mentioned him so much in your letters and we were wondering if we would get to meet him before too long. We'd hoped you'd bring him to visit in the summer after your exams." Hermione smiled, surprised at her parents' acceptance of the situation.

"You're not mad then?" Her dad chuckled and wrapped an arm around her.

"Look, Hermione. We're not thrilled about what you did last year, but we've had a lot of time to think things over, and we're going to work on getting over it in our own time. We'd rather have a daughter than not have one. Besides, to be honest, we've been talking it over, and we want to stay here permanently. We've made friends here, we like the climate, and we're not too keen to return to a house those Death Eater people have been in. As for the boyfriend, I definitely want to talk to him." Hermione rolled her eyes but leaned into their hugs, a little more relaxed. Her mother pulled her into the house and began to make tea.

"So you brought Draco along too...you'd mentioned in your letters that you'd become friends. How are Harry and Ron reacting to that? What does Ron think of you dating his brother?"

"Harry and Ron had some difficulty with Draco initially, Harry has been good and I think Ron tolerates him now...as for George and I, nothing was ever really serious with Ron, so it hasn't really changed anything much with us."

"Well, that's good. Is George good to you? Are things serious between you?"

"They seem to be, mum...is it ok that I've sprung all of this on you? I feel so stupid for not letting you know I was coming and that I was bringing anyone with me."

"Frankly, I'm relieved you're not travelling alone, dear, and we want to meet this George properly and make sure he's good enough for our daughter. Draco, of course, is also welcome, though I must admit that's going to be difficult to wrap my head around...he really was such a git to you all in school." Hermione snorted into the tea she was drinking, earning her a slight disapproving look from her father, which she ignored.

"He's still a git sometimes, mum, but he's really not at all what we thought. He's been through an awful lot, in his own way."

"Yes, you'd explained that, dear. And George? Is he a good man? Is he husband material?"

"Mum! It's too soon for that! It hasn't even been a year yet." Hermione hid her blushing face in her hands, and her father looked over his teacup at both women as he took a sip, eyebrows raising into his hairline. Hermione looked through her fingers at her parents, mortified.

"Please, please do not mention any of this to George, mum, especially with Draco around; he's the least discreet boy ever and I don't need him teasing me about it, and I don't want George to feel pressured or anything." Hermione's dad nodded approvingly, but glanced over at Hermione.

"I think, none the less, that I need to talk to George." Hermione's mum beamed and Hermione groaned and sunk her head into her hands again.


	22. Chapter 22

_Usual disclaimer, I am not JK Rowling, these are my imaginings with her wonderful world and the characters who live in it. Thank you Rowling for giving us all so much inspiration. _

"Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year"

a fanfic by Cerys Dewar

Chapter Twenty-Two

When Hermione returned the next evening for dinner with her family, George and Draco were with her. George was hiding his nervousness poorly, and kept fidgeting with his cufflinks, Draco bounced a little on his heels and chatted non-stop, immensely enjoying George's nerves as well as the sheer relief of being away from England and the wizarding world: here he was able to wander around without people crossing to the other side of the street at the sight of him. Here, his family was not infamous, and he could go out in public and not face the same mistrust he experienced in say, Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade.

Hermione herself was also nervous, gently rubbing the fabric of George's sleeve where her hand nestled in the crook of his arm and stealing worried glances at him. She'd never felt so nervous: her father could be incredibly critical, and she was worried that her mum would say something about weddings or something and scare George. George, as if sensing her thoughts, placed his free hand on top of hers and squeezed gently to reassure her. As they knocked on the door, Hermione could only feel how hard her heart was pounding in her chest, and she felt as though her stomach was being wrung out.

Hermione's father opened the door and hugged Hermione, then shook hands with the boys and politely expressed his pleasure at meeting them. Hermione's mother joined them, looking curiously at George and Draco. Hermione joined her mother in the kitchen to help out, as did Draco, while Hermione's father offered George a brandy in the library. Before too long, Hermione was pleased to see that her mother was absolutely taken with Draco, who really could be quite charming when he was relaxed. Hermione reflected that of course Draco would be relaxed with her mother, seeing as he'd always been so very close with his own.

In the library, Hermione's father and George sipped their brandies and exchanged the usual small talk, George talked about the shop, Mr. Granger talked about the dental practice they'd set up in Australia, then finally, the interrogation began, as George and Hermione had worried.

"So er...George; what are your intentions towards Hermione? I'm sure you understand, as a concerned father who wants only the best for their only child..."

"Well, that depends a lot on what Hermione wants, sir. We've both been through a lot in the war and we're enjoying what we have right now, and right now she really wants to focus on her schoolwork, and I don't see her slowing down on the academics any time soon. I can honestly say that I am in love with her, and if she decides that I'm worth more of her time, I'd definitely like to build a life with her."

"This war...Hermione told us some things, and frankly I can't believe that headmaster of yours would put a bunch of kids through so much. If I'd known your world was so dangerous I might've tried to put a stop to her going to Hogwarts."

"I understand your worries, but people my age and her age have fought in wars before; just look at your great wars: most of the soldiers who died in those wars were teens themselves...my own brother was nineteen..."

"I heard about your brother; I'm sorry for your loss. I just wish I could've kept her safe, and here she modifies our memories and removes us from everything we've known...it just baffles the mind, that she can and will do something like that, you understand."

"Would you rather your daughter had left you as you were? Did Hermione tell you exactly how bad the war was, sir?"

"I don't know, to be honest. Part of me wonders often if she protected us from that too." He barked a quick, bitter laugh. "How do I even know if she's ever telling us the full truth?"

"I don't know how to answer that; I think that's something you and Hermione will need to sort out with time...but I can tell you what I saw of the war. A lot of good people, innocent people, died, magic folk and muggles...a lot of good witches and wizards, like your daughter, knowingly and willingly fought, knowing they could very well die.

Hermione and Harry and Ron spent the year hunting down Horcruxes, these objects that Voldemort had deposited parts of his soul in: they had to destroy them in order to finish him off for good. It was pretty rough living from what Harry and Ron have told me, and if it hadn't been for Hermione, they wouldn't have lasted a week, really. They're good, brave fellas but they're not as smart and organized as she is, and nobody is as knowledgeable as Hermione is about magic."

"They were captured once, while they were on the run, and Hermione was tortured. She usually wears long sleeves and disillusionment charms to cover them up, but she's got some serious scars from one of the most evil and powerful witches our world has ever seen. She's just getting over the nightmares from that now: she has post traumatic stress disorder pretty badly, we all do actually." Mr. Granger's face contorted with grief and concern, and he seemed less angry and bitter, more stricken and grieving, but George continued.

"When the battle for Hogwarts happened, it was nothing short of an invasion. Children were evacuated out as much as possible, but the older students stayed to fight, and a lot of them gave their lives. We saw many things that no one should ever have to witness; I've never seen so much violence and death my whole life and I truly hope never to again. Your daughter was right there, in the center of all that, fighting because she knew what was right even though it was so frightening and so difficult, and she never once hesitated, even when we all thought Harry had been killed by Voldemort. After the battle, Hermione went around helping with body retrievals and burials and putting the school back together before she came back home with my parents. If she would've found a way I think she would've tried to put the whole world back together before taking a moment to think of herself, but I think the trauma slowed her down a little. She's been struggling a lot, worried sick about losing your trust when she just wanted to keep you guys out of harm's way. I really hope you can forgive her with time, sir. I've seen everything she tried to protect you from, and I can promise you that knowing her the way I do, her only motivations were love and care for you guys."

Mr. Granger slumped into one of the easy chairs in the library, and motioned to George to sit in the other one; his face was ashen and his eyes teary. They sat for a long time in silence, sipping their drinks, until finally he spoke with a rough, thick voice.

"Young man I thank you. I didn't fully understand what she'd been through, and I didn't realize the full extent of the danger she was in...the danger she saved us from. Please, if you and Draco won't mind being in on a little family discussion...I think we need to set our girl's mind at ease."

George nodded, and the two men rose and walked into the sitting room, where Draco and Hermione looked through photo albums with Mrs. Granger, who looked up and regarded her husband's pale face and red eyes with worry. George sat down beside Hermione, and Mr. Granger sat with his wife, gently patting her hand reassuringly and whispering something softly in her ear before reaching across the coffee table to Hermione. When she placed her hands in his, he gently pushed up her sleeve and stared, stricken, at the ugly world carved into her arm. Mrs. Granger gasped and tears spilled down her face. Hermione sobbed softly, and George wrapped his arm around her protectively while Draco gently rubbed her other arm.

"And the other?" Mr. Granger said softly. Hermione pulled her hand away from her father's and waved it, nonverbally casting off the glamour cast on her throat. Hermione hid her face in George's chest for a moment and cried softly, and Hermione's parents sat frozen, tears streaming down both their faces as they saw, not only their daughter's pain, but the fierce protectiveness of the two young men sitting with Hermione, comforting her. Mrs. Granger was the first to speak.

"Hermione, love, we didn't know. I'm so sorry." Her father joined in.

"We should have trusted that you had damn good reasons for what you did. If it wasn't for you, we could very well be dead. Can you ever forgive us?" Hermione nodded, still sobbing, and George held her tightly, stroking her hair tenderly. Draco jumped up and grabbed boxes of tissues, passing them around, dabbing at his own eyes. It took some time for everyone to recover, but finally Hermione's parents stood and held their arms out to Hermione, and wrapped her in a tight hug between them. Hermione and her mother walked slowly into the kitchen, and Draco followed to help bring dinner to the dining room. George stood to join them, but Hermione's father put a hand on his arm, holding him back.

"Thank you, son. You gave us our family back." Mr. Granger shook George's hand and managed a smile. "I am glad to see that my daughter loves a man who is so ready to stand up for her and treat her with such care and respect. You don't need my blessing, Hermione has always known what she wants in life and has always made good choices, but none the less you are welcome in our home, and our family."

Finally, they joined the rest at the dinner table, and Hermione's parents glanced often through dinner to see their daughter and her boyfriend exchange loving looks and smiles with each other, and they knew, with their own experience in a long, successful marriage, that they were seeing a man who truly measured up to the amazing girl they had raised, and they were happy.


	23. Chapter 23

_Usual disclaimer, I am not JK Rowling, these are my imaginings with her wonderful world and the characters who live in it. Thank you Rowling for giving us all so much inspiration. _

"Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year"

a fanfic by Cerys Dewar

Chapter Twenty-Three

The rest of Hermione's visit with her parents was somewhat of an emotional rollercoaster, especially with everything Hermione and her parents needed to talk about, so George and Draco spent time exploring the area to give them privacy. It was a learning experience, as neither had ever seen Australia, and they became better friends during that time. Draco was surprised to discover that after an entire life being friends with the sons of his father's cronies, he had not one, but two real best friends. George was surprised to discover that he relished Draco's company, and realized more and more every day how Hermione had grown to befriend Draco.

Finally, the week came to an end, Hermione and the boys bid Mr. and Mrs. Granger farewell, and they apparated back to London, to George's apartment. It being the weekend, Harry and Ginny and Ron and Romilda were all at the Burrow, and they flooed straight from the apartment into McGonagall's office, where they were greeted by Professor McGonagall herself, Crookshanks, and a tea tray full of sandwiches and biscuits. The three young people sat and enjoyed tea and told the older witch about the whole week. Once tea was finished and they departed for their dorm, Minerva sat alone at her desk with a satisfied smile on her lips. There was a healthy glow in everyone's faces, they looked well rested and well fed, and best yet of all, she had observed that Hermione in particular looked much more at peace. She chuckled softly as she turned to her old friend's portrait.

"Oh Albus, to think I'd see the day when that terrible prankster George Weasley came to tea in my office partnered with my favourite student and friends with Draco Malfoy, of all people. The portrait chuckled, eyes twinkling, as Minerva returned to her work.

Draco was glad to be home, and excused himself rather quickly with Crookshanks draped across his shoulders like some luxurious fur collar, stating his intention to write to his mother and make plans with her for dinner tomorrow evening in London, and then to enjoy a nice long nap. As he left, George pulled Hermione down to the couch, where they relaxed till dinner, chatting and just resting with eachother, tired from the journey. When Hermione fell asleep leaning into George's chest, George fondly grinned at her and scooped her up into his arms, carrying her to her bedroom and into bed, where he curled up holding her tightly. They missed dinner entirely and woke again in the early hours, and tiptoed down to the kitchen where they found Draco also struggling with adapting to the time change. George pulled some snacks from the cupboards, and they enjoyed a sort of picnic in the kitchen as well as a few rounds of Exploding Snap and Gobstones.

As the sun rose Sunday morning, the Hogwarts elves sent them a lovely breakfast, which they had just finished enjoying when there was a tap on their door. When Draco opened it, McGonagall stepped into the room, pale and obviously shaken, looking at Draco with worry in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, laddie, but I bear bad news." Draco's heart leapt into his stomach, but he didn't forget his manners, leading the headmistress to the sitting room, where George and Hermione joined them. Draco sat down on one of the couches with McGonagall, and she reached over and placed one of her hands over his.

"Draco lad...I'm afraid to have to tell you this, but last night your father went into some sort of terrible state and tried to escape Azkaban...he was not successful, and the Dementors performed the kiss on him. He did not survive." Draco scowled and looked down at his hands, and McGonagall had to hold back tears as she saw all of the emotions crossing over his face. Hermione rose from her seat beside George and sat down beside Draco, wrapping her arms around him. When she released him and sat back, Draco stood and ran to the bathroom, where they heard him being violently ill for quite some time. Hermione paled and George kept moving as if to go help, but held himself back to give Draco space. McGonagall sat there, stricken, with tears in her eyes.

"As if he hasn't already been through enough," she muttered. "Even though he was a terrible man and an appalling father, this will be hard on Draco. Sometimes it is incredibly difficult and strange when even someone as abusive as him dies. I will need your help, Hermione, and you too George when you're around, to make sure he doesn't feel alone." George and Hermione nodded, and McGonagall patted Hermione's shoulder gently in thanks.

Draco returned, thanked McGonagall for letting him know, and then left the room again to pack his duffel bag. Hermione and George stood, but Draco stalled them with a hand.

"I'm sorry, you two, I know you want to help, and I know you only mean well, but I need to go be with my mother alone. She and I need to talk things over and deal with this on our own first; I hope you understand." They nodded, quietly, but Hermione stepped forward and gathered Draco into a gentle hug, and George wrapped his long arms around both of them. Draco rested, leaning into Hermione gratefully, and thanked her. They released him, and McGonagall escorted him to her office, to go to his mother and support her.

After Draco left, George and Hermione went and laid in bed, too shocked to say or do anything. Hermione was worried sick about Draco, so George took her for a walk out on the school grounds in places students didn't usually care for, and then they found a secluded corner near the Black Lake where Hermione conjured up a blanket and they sat there for a long time, George holding Hermione tightly. Dinner that evening was quiet, but they agreed to eat properly and try their best to trust that Draco would contact them immediately if they were needed. George, not wanting Hermione to be left alone with her worry, stayed the night, holding her tightly.

Draco returned the following morning after breakfast and just in time for classes. George apologized for needing to leave but kissed Hermione and hurried off to floo into the shop from McGonagall's office. Draco and Hermione attended their classes but ate their meals in their dorm rather than the great hall. They studied after dinner, and then finally put their books away, and Draco sighed. Hermione took his hand and pulled him into the sitting room and onto one of the couches, where they sat close to eachother. Draco leaned his head on Hermione's shoulder, exhausted, and she wrapped an arm around him.

"I can't even tell you how weird all of this feels...I'm so relieved he's gone, Hermione, but I'm sad that he was never a good father to me, and I'm honestly angry that I never got to have any revenge on him."

"Sounds perfectly normal to me, Draco; no matter how it ended it was never going to be all a good thing or all a bad thing with the relationship you had with him." she gently played with his hair and he closed his eyes to keep from tearing up. "As for revenge, if that's what you really want Draco, get your revenge by being the man he never could be: the man you are." Draco nodded, and wrapped his arms around Hermione's waist, finally releasing his grief and frustration, and even a little of his anger. Hermione simply held him closely to her, saying very little but not moving, just giving him her support and her love the best she could. When Draco had finally exhausted himself, he fell asleep with his head in Hermione's lap. Hermione conjured a book from the bookshelf and read as he rested.

When Draco woke, he thanked Hermione and headed off to bed. Hermione wrote George a note and slipped away to the Owlery to send it off to him, as well as notes for Harry and Ron. She stopped in briefly at her old dorm and spent some time with Cho and Ginny and Luna, and when it got late, she walked back to her own rooms again, to Crookshanks and her bed. Hermione gently stroked her Kneazle-cat, and then shooed him off her bed as she put on her pajamas.

"I think someone else could use your snuggles tonight, dearest. Do you think you could manage?" Crookshanks jumped down from the bed and tiptoed off, Hermione knew, to Draco's room. She heard Draco welcome the beast with a rough but calmer voice, and she smiled, knowing Draco's fondness for Crookshanks. She instead threw on a jumper of George's that he'd forgotten over her pajamas and settled under her blankets to wait for sleep. She drifted off to sleep, thankfully without dreams or difficulties.

Through the last remaining weeks of April, as May crept in, life returned to normal for Draco, and he came to terms with his father's death and his own determination to live a better life and do the things he wanted to do. He threw himself into his studies with almost as much fervour as Hermione did, and most evenings the two could be found in the library with piles of books, studying and quietly debating and discussing exam strategies. When George came on weekends, the three would spend time practicing charms and dueling in the room of requirement, and then in the evenings the three of them would play games or just visit. Occasionally Harry and Ron would visit Hermione, and they slowly got to know the new Draco, and they all went for weekends at the Burrow, where Draco found himself becoming more and more at home.

One evening, returning from a visit with his mother, Draco found himself alone in the headmistress' office after flooing in. He hesitated for quite a while, biting his fist and furrowing his brow, until finally he approached his godfather's portrait, hesitantly, then with relief when he saw Snape's portrait regarding him solemnly. He stepped forwards and spoke softly.

"I suppose you know what happened. I can't get over how odd all of it feels...part of me feels like he's been dead for years, and part of me feels like he'll never be dead, that he'll always be hanging off me somehow."

"I always knew your father's life would not end well: he had a terrible habit of seeking out exactly the worst possible plans and decisions possible, not unlike myself. I wish I could actually be there to help, Draco. I'm sorry. I knew your father was horrid to you and your mother, but I didn't realize how much he was abusing you; I wish I'd known, and that I could've done something. Neither you or your mother deserve what happened."

"I just feel so angry and scared all the time, even though he can't affect me or mother anymore. I only feel ok with I'm studying, or when I'm with Hermione or George, or even at the Weasley house, believe it or not." Snape's portrait sported a smirk for a moment, but resumed its usual frown.

"It may be years before you stop looking over your shoulder, Draco, believe me, but you can have a good life. You're fortunate that you found friends who will be there for you. Don't make my mistake: move on, focus on things and people who bring you peace, and be a better man than your father and I ever were. Live for YOU, Draco: stop living for anyone else."

Draco nodded, and took his leave, trudging back slowly to the dorm. When he got in, he gently hugged Hermione and wished her goodnight, and curled up in his bed, drifting off to sleep as he pondered what he really wanted in life.


	24. Chapter 24

_Usual disclaimer, I am not JK Rowling, these are my imaginings with her wonderful world and the characters who live in it. Thank you Rowling for giving us all so much inspiration. _

"Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year"

a fanfic by Cerys Dewar

Chapter Twenty-Four

Finally, exams week arrived, with the official Ministry adjudicators, and the senior class of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry sat their NEWTs. Thursday evening, when all the exams were completed, the exhausted older students enjoyed dinner in the great hall, almost completely in silence. In the morning they would receive their grades, and a week later they would all attend the graduation ceremony, and then there would be the traditional party to celebrate. At the moment, however, they were too exhausted for anything more than eating ravenously, starved from the hard work their brains and wands and quills had done for the last four days. Hermione and Draco staggered back to their dorm, leaning on eachother, hugged goodnight and went to their separate beds without a word. That night, every student in the castle slept soundly.

The next morning, Draco and Hermione went to the great hall for breakfast, where they were greeted by a large banner conjured by Flitwick and some of their year-mates. "Congrats to our Valedictorians, Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger", the banner read, and McGonagall stepped forward with certificates proclaiming that had graduated with full honours, at the very top of their year, with nearly perfect grades. Draco hugged Hermione tightly, and they celebrated through breakfast with their year-mates quite happily, relieved to have done well after all the nights they spent studying. Draco endured the teasing about having tied with Hermione for top grade with easy good grace and a huge grin. Hermione gently socked his shoulder, and he looked at her.

"You're never going to let me forget that we graduated equally, are you?" Draco winked at her and grinned.

"Never, Granger."

Following the wonderful news, and after they sent owls to their loved ones with invitations to the graduation, Draco went off to plan a party with Seamus and Neville and Hermione excused herself after dinner with her former roommates to have one last tea with McGonagall. She climbed the staircase to the headmistress' office and seated herself with a twinge of sadness as she realized that this may indeed be the last such tea she enjoyed here.

"Good evening, professor. I hope you haven't had to repair too many damages by overly exuberant students having a last hurrah before going home tomorrow." McGonagall chuckled softly, and passed a stack of parchment across the table to Hermione.

"Hermione, my dear, I am no longer your professor and you are no longer a student, so I now insist that you call me Minerva from now on. Furthermore, I would like you to read these and give me your opinion on them." Hermione read the parchments, occasionally gasping and looking up at her professor in delight and surprise.

"But Pro...Minerva! These are apprenticeship contracts! You're offering me an apprenticeship!"

"Yes, dearie, I wish in a few years to retire and focus on my duties as headmistress, but I'm not the only one. It seems Filius also wishes to apprentice you as well. A double apprenticeship is a serious commitment and quite the workload, but I know you are not afraid of hard work. As a bonus, you will have access to materials and studies such as Filius and I can give you, and you will have as much time as you wish to pursue more studies if you so wish. You don't even need to live here in the castle, you could take a flat down in Hogsmeade if you wished."

Hermione stared at the contracts incredulously, hands trembling slightly.

"It's more than I'd hoped for! This way, I wouldn't have to struggle to make ends meet while I study, and I could research, and develop new charms perhaps, and..."

"Is that a yes, then, my dear?" Minerva regarded her protege with an amused smile as Hermione's face glowed with happiness, and then handed her a quill, with which Hermione officially committed the next two years of her life to apprentice in Charms and Transfiguration. "I am glad that you have agreed so happily. When I offered Draco his contract, it took some time to convince him that I was in earnest and not playing some sort of joke on him. As if I were that young man of yours, Hermione, can you imagine?" Hermione snickered a little at her mentor's mention of George, but then caught on to what Minerva was saying.

"You mean Draco will be apprenticing too? Did he accept?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact, he did. He will be apprenticing with Kingsley in Defence Against the Dark Arts; young Kingsley wishes to return to work as an auror and start a family, and has offered to train Draco to take his place. I cannot think of better work for a former death eater myself, can you, Hermione?"

The two witches smiled, and enjoyed their tea. When George stepped through the floo before dinner, Hermione jumped into his arms, disregarding her mentor's presence in the room, greeting her 'young man', as Minerva said, with an enthusiastic kiss, much to George's astonishment considering their surroundings. It took a few moments for Hermione to excitedly tell George about her apprenticeships, but her excitement was contagious, and George too forgot where he was and picked Hermione up, spinning her around. Minerva coughed drily for their attention, sent them off to go celebrate with their friends, and chortled when they finally left.

"Good heavens, all the excitement. I'm getting much too old for this."

George and Hermione and Draco had a celebratory dinner in the girls' senior dorms with the girls, Neville, Seamus, Harry, Ron and Romilda, and Oliver. The party lasted into the night, and the next morning, the seniors and their partners were all gloriously hungover as they packed their bags for home.

Everyone attended the graduation ceremony the following weekend: parents, lovers, a few grandparents, siblings, Ministry officials, and even some headhunters from various wizarding corporations, out to find trainees to recruit.

Hermione and Draco, resplendent in robes in their house colours, delivered their valedictorian speech to all in attendance, and then joined the rest of their classmates, throwing their hats into the air. Draco introduced his mother to Hermione's parents, and Narcissa commented favourably on how sharp Draco and Hermione looked, and gently teased Hermione about how handsome George had become.

"You'd better hold him tight, dear; if I were a little younger I'd be tempted to take him on myself." She winked at Hermione's blushing face, laughing as she and Draco returned to their group of friends. Hermione poked Draco in the arm.

"You mention any of what she said to George, and I'll pitch you in the lake." Draco laughed uproariously, and promised that he was saving it for a future opportunity, which earned him another poke, this one a little less gentle than the first.

After the graduation dinner the great hall was opened up into a dance floor, which was soon crowded with parents and couples. As George shared his fourth dance with Hermione, finally getting her back from her friends who had wanted a dance with her, he shared some exciting news with her.

"Zonko's wants to close up shop for good, and they sent me a letter asking me if I would be interested in taking over the Hogsmeade shop...I just signed all the paperwork and finalized the purchase today...there's a house over the shop itself, and I was thinking of fixing it up over the summer...and I was wondering if you'd be interested in staying with me there through the summer..." he looked down at her a little shyly. "I know it hasn't been especially long-"

"George, I'd love to," Hermione said, surprising both herself and George with her certainty. As they twirled around the dance floor, smiling happily at eachother, Hermione realized that she was deeply in love with him, and that she was ready to take this step with him.

"...and perhaps if the summer goes well, love? Perhaps after that, you might like to stay with me through the school year?" When Hermione smiled up at him, he gained confidence, "perhaps through next summer also? And wherever else it takes us?" Hermione laughed, blushing, but nodded, and George joyfully pulled her close, kissing her deeply, ignoring the whistles and hoots around them from their friends.

"I love you, Hermione Granger."

"And I love you, George Weasley."

They danced again, and again, and then enjoyed dessert and punch with their friends, and joined in the joyful celebrating with everyone when Harry and Ginny entered the great hall, hand in hand, announcing their engagement. Hermione squealed with happiness as she hugged them both, and did a little happy dance first with Harry and then with Ginny. As the girls danced, George congratulated Harry, who winked at George and said he'd probably be next. The men stood back and watched the two women excitedly start planning, and George's heart pounded as he realized that someday, Hermione may be excitedly planning their own wedding.

Everyone went home that night, Harry and Ginny to 12 Grimmauld Place, which had finally been deemed habitable by a team of redecorators Narcissa had suggested when Harry had asked for advice. George had gifted the apartment above the shop to a very happy Ron, who returned there with Romilda on his arm. Draco returned to the dorm in Hogwarts, stating his intentions to turn it into a luxurious flat as a summer project, and invited Seamus and Neville to stay for a bit of a stag night with him. George and Hermione retrieved all of her belongings, shrunk down and packed into her beaded bag, and walked in the soft summer moonlight into Hogsmeade, where George unlocked the door to their new home with pride.

Hermione set her bag on the floor as George gathered her into his arms, kissing her passionately before he scooped her up over his shoulder and carried her off to the bedroom. Hermione laughing as he laid her on the bed and climbed on top of her, covering her with kisses.

"Welcome home, love," George said happily between kisses, and turned out the lights.


	25. Chapter 25

_Usual disclaimer, I am not JK Rowling, these are my imaginings with her wonderful world and the characters who live in it. Thank you Rowling for giving us all so much inspiration. _

"Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year"

a fanfic by Cerys Dewar

Chapter Twenty-Five

Through that first, glorious summer together, Hermione and George were totally engrossed in getting the Hogsmeade shop up and running, making the house above a home, and adjusting to life together. George and Hermione were both, thankfully, tidy by nature, so there were very few squabbles over keeping their home clean, but George would often leave the toilet seat up (until Hermione spelled it shut for an entire day while she was doing classroom prep at Hogwarts and George had to keep using the toilet at the Three Broomsticks) and Hermione was occasionally quite grumbly in the morning if she'd stayed up too late reading or researching. For the most part, living together was wonderful for both of them. Hermione had lived with Harry and Ron in the tent during the war, and George had already lived on his own with roommates, so living with another human wasn't anything new to them, and they made an effort right from the beginning to communicate with eachother as much as possible.

George liked to walk to Hogwarts before dinner every night to bring Hermione home; he always took a roundabout way to get to the Transfiguration classroom, going by the library to place a hand on the wall near Fred's plaque and just remember for a moment, then leaving little stashes of Weasley's products in hidden nooks and crannies, with notes telling Fred and George's story. It was his own unique way of honouring Fred's memory and also as if he and his twin were playing an enormous prank on Hermione and Minerva. George still dreamt of having coffee and catching up with his brother now and then, but only teared up occasionally; he had finally discovered how to celebrate, rather than grieve. He missed Fred with every fiber of his being, and thought of him constantly, but he played and developed pranks and lived his life the happiest he possibly could.

Hermione loved her life with George. She loved waking up with him and discussing their daily goals over breakfast, she loved the kiss they shared before she walked to the castle, she thought of him often through the day as she worked, and then, at the end of the working day, her heart still fluttered when she'd leave Minerva's office and find him leaning on the doorway, waiting for her with a big hug and a gentle kiss and their usual walk home. They would prepare and eat dinner together, discussing their days, and then read, or play a game, or go straight to the bedroom and make love. It was a busy life, with Sunday dinner at the Burrow with all the family, the occasional Saturday lunch at Hogwarts with Minerva or Draco, and friends coming and going, but they were both happy and successful, and the love that had surprised them so much grew and developed into something so calming and strengthening for both of them.

Summer faded into Autumn's glorious reds and golds, and George walked Hermione to Hogwarts before her first official day as an apprentice teacher. The new students had all arrived the night before, and Hermione, Draco, Neville (apprenticing with Sprout), and Luna (apprenticing with Pomfrey) were introduced and seated at the staff table for the first time. Hermione had been surprised at how young the first-years looked, and was somewhat relieved but also a little sad to realize that there were now no familiar faces at the student tables. During the walk, Hermione held onto George's arm nervously. George chuckled and patted her hand proudly and reassured her almost constantly.

"I don't believe my eyes. Hermione Granger, nervous about the first day of school," he teased, "Not even a student anymore and she's still worrying about messing up."

"I am still a student though, George, and I'm learning to be a teacher. If I mess up, my students will do poorly and it'll be all my fault. What if they don't like me? I don't have a way with people."

"Hermione. Love. People love you. My family all adores you, McGonagall would adopt you if she had the chance, your colleagues all practically worship you, and you are quite literally the brightest witch of our age, in case the 800 times you're called that in a single day hasn't managed to let that fact sink in. You are kind, and patient, and most importantly, you love magical theory and technique so much. You are passionate about doing magic correctly, and I know that your passion will rub off on the students." As they arrived at the gates, George hugged her tightly and then kissed her forehead. Hermione smiled up at him bravely.

"Thank you, George."

"You are most welcome. Now, go on and get that junior McGonagall face of yours on, and go see if young Master Pasty has practiced his imitation of his godfather enough, and you two go and teach the hell out of those young minds!" George twirled and marched away, leaving Hermione laughing as she made her way to the school, where Draco was waiting for her, wearing robes that did indeed look suspiciously Snape-like. Hermione looked him up and down and then raised an eyebrow at him.

"Oh come on, Granger. I'm a former death eater and 'one of those awful Malfoys'. I need to get some enjoyment from it." Hermione laughed and they went in to join their mentors and begin their days. Hermione was to begin the day in Charms with Filius, and then join Minerva after lunch for Transfiguration.

Filius had her demonstrate charms and help him correct student's wand holds, waving, and pronunciation, which gave Hermione a few emotional moments remembering that first Charms class with Harry and Ron, and then again whenever a student got it right and their face lit up and glowed with pride and excitement, as well as wonder on the muggle-born students' faces. When the older students came in, Hermione got to demonstrate some of her more difficult and intricate bits of wand work, and Filius praised her often on her ability to explain smaller steps to reach the more difficult goals. The first half of the day passed by quickly, and then it was lunch time, and Hermione sat once again with her fellow apprentices, and they discussed the strangeness of being among the adults now rather than being seated at their house tables. Draco in particular was having a bit of a strange day, as the new Slytherin students had all apparently decided that he was a sort of unofficial head of house now, and had made many attempts to introduce themselves to him.

"They actually like me, Hermione, not just toadying up out of fear, they actually want to be associated with me." Hermione smiled and bumped his shoulder gently as she sipped her tea.

"Draco, you're nineteen and cooler than they are, and you're also brilliant. Of course they want to be associated with you. Just watch, you'll be the cool Slytherin professor and you'll bring about a change in how everyone perceives the house system and how it labels personalities..."

"Whoa, Granger. You could've stopped at cool and brilliant and that would've been ok."

The whole table laughed, and then Minerva and Hermione walked to the Transfiguration classroom together and commenced on the last half of the day. All afternoon, they worked with the first, second, third, and fourth year students, performing transfigurations ranging from quills to walking sticks to turning familiars into water goblets, Minerva's particular favourite. Minerva and Hermione hardly needed to confer with eachother at all through the lesson, as they had trained and discussed all through the summer (Minerva being equally passionate about exact technique) and could work almost seamlessly together. Students leaving their classes were exhausted, as they often got carried away with the lesson and drilled the students until they could have performed the spells in their sleep. Like Minerva, Hermione was deemed by the students to be fairly no-nonsense, but in her youth they found a much softer instructor, and they weren't in the least bit afraid to ask her for help.

When the last student filed out, Minerva and Filius and Hermione enjoyed tea together and discussed the day's work happily. The day had been long and exhausting, but their tea refreshed them, as well as the older professors' enjoyment at having someone as skilled as Hermione to work with and mentor. All three excitedly discussed future lesson plans and methods, and their favourite and least favourite students, and their own hopes for the year. When Hermione left the castle, she was tired but exhilarated, especially as she saw the familiar shape of George waiting out in the hallway for her.

George was surrounded by a small mob of students, all excitedly talking and laughing, as Weasley's Wizard Wheezes was a legend among the students, and George himself a minor celebrity to them. They dispersed, still laughing and chattering, as Hermione approached, a few of them wishing her a good evening, and she and George walked out of the castle to a chorus of 'see you tomorrow, miss Granger' and 'thanks for the help today', and even, 'we'll go do our homework right now before dinner, miss Granger!' George chuckled and draped an arm over her shoulders, and they walked home happily, Hermione glowing with the energy of the day, and George proudly listening as his girl told him about the day she'd enjoyed.

All through making dinner, and through dinner itself, George and Hermione talked about their days, and then they washed the dishes together. It was a somewhat odd habit for a wizarding couple such as them, considering they could've washed, dried, and put away all the dishes magically without a single word, but they had decided mutually that they would share the task every single evening after dinner. When they finished, George sent the dish towels flying into a hamper to wash, and then scooped a laughing Hermione up, carrying her off to the bedroom over his shoulder like a cave man.

Afterwards, they cuddled, and Hermione reflected as she ran her thumb over his chest that it had been a perfect day. George held her tightly and kissed the top of her head, often, thinking about how lucky he was to get to share his life with her, and how when the time was right, he really needed to start planning how he was going to ask her to marry him.


	26. Chapter 26

_Usual disclaimer, I am not JK Rowling, these are my imaginings with her wonderful world and the characters who live in it. Thank you Rowling for giving us all so much inspiration. _

"Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year"

a fanfic by Cerys Dewar

Chapter Twenty-Six

Hermione's two-year apprenticeship passed by in a blur, her hectic teaching/researching schedule and her studies by correspondence and with her mentors in advanced Charms and Transfiguration cushioned by two of the most peaceful years the wizarding world could remember. Hermione often joked to George that if she hadn't taken on such a heavy workload she would've gone insane from the lack of excitement. George would always smile and squeeze her hand and tell her how proud he was of her, and how brilliantly she was doing. George had heard, often, from Minerva just how well Hermione was doing, and wasn't in the least surprised when Hermione was awarded a Masters in Transfiguration and Charms at the end of her apprentice years.

Now at the age of twenty-one, Hermione was a full Transfiguration Master at Hogwarts, and Minerva very happily retired from teaching, but remained headmistress and head of Gryffindor house. Minerva was well loved by the younger staff, revered by the older staff, and respected by the students in her school. Her retirement party had been a small affair, staff and their partners only, and she'd happily named Hermione as her successor, to many cheers. Hermione had proven her gifts as a teacher, her diplomacy and leadership as a colleague, and as ever, dependable and brilliant.

George and Hermione had made the house above the shop a warm, beautiful home, and often played host to family and friends. Draco stopped by often for dinner, and occasionally walked Hermione home from work on George's busier nights in order to enjoy a beer with George. Neville had begun courting Hannah Abbott, who was barmaid at the Three Broomsticks, so they also saw him often, and of course Luna popped in whenever she wasn't travelling with her father. With all their apprenticeships completed, they would be all working together at Hogwarts. Pomfrey still refused to retire, but Luna had been asked to stay as assistant healer, as her skill at potions had left the hospital wing well-stocked with everything needed, and Pomfrey was more than relieved to have the students coming to Luna for feminine products and advice. Her two cats trailed her everywhere she went, and were adored and spoiled by all.

As was their tradition, George walked Hermione to Hogwarts the first day of school. Hermione was less nervous now, but still eager and full of anticipation, and squeezed George's hand often, which never failed to make him grin. That night, however, when he came to escort her home, she was absolutely fuming. The moment they were past the gates and alone, Hermione cast silencing spells around them and ranted to, and at George.

"My last class of the day was nearly ruined by one of the first years! He must have bought out the entire Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder stock of your London shop, dear, and would you believe it, he seems to have blown his entire stash in a single class: MINE." Hermione's cheeks were flushed and her eyes fiery, which made George a little nervous, especially as he knew eventually he would be blamed for the young prankster. "My whole classroom, completely dark, some of the more sensitive students panicking, I have to admit I even had some difficulty, and then having to disperse it and calm everyone down and find out what happened. It was so chaotic, George." She scowled at him and continued ranting the entire walk home, and was still angry when George held the door open for her, she was still angry as she showered and changed into her 'home clothes, and as she sat down to dinner, she was quieter but perturbed. Once she sat down, George pulled in his chair directly beside hers, and took her hand in both of his.

"I'm sorry, love. I promise I will look into finding out who let such a young fella purchase so much of that...we generally do have limits so we can avoid incidents like this." Hermione softened slightly, but her eyes still had tears in them, and she was upset.

"Everyone will be talking about it for weeks, they'll be completely uncontrollable, and of course it was a Gryffindor, and the rest of his house is probably patting him on the back and toasting him with Butterbeer, and he'll be a hero. They're all always trying to outdo you and Fred, you know, they all somehow know about the fireworks display you put on when Umbridge..."

"Ah. Well, love...you've noticed we sometimes have our funny stories written on the packaging...I may or may not have put that particular story on some products." When Hermione flashed him a dangerous look, he stammered. "Don't worry, we do have a statement saying that young witches and wizards should stay in school..." He trailed off as Hermione paled and her eyes got angrier. Finally, she lost it.

"George! I am trying to keep order in my classroom, and your products have interrupted a few of my classes! What if Minerva loses patience with having a teacher who lives with the wizard who is directly responsible for all of the mischief caused at our school?" She slumped onto the tabletop, finally letting her frustration out, crying like he hadn't seen her cry in years. George immediately summoned over a pot of tea and two mugs, and cast a warming charm over their dinners, and then wrapped his arms around Hermione gently.

"I'm sorry love. I'm going to make it up to you, I promise." When Hermione pulled away and stomped away to the bedroom, George knew not to follow. Instead, he sat, deep in thought, and then threw on a jacket and walked to Hogwarts, leaving a note with Crookshanks apologizing again and explaining where he was.

Hermione didn't receive the note until the next morning, when she woke for the first time since moving in without George's warmth beside her. She sat up in bed and cried for a few moments before angrily pulling herself together, gathering up teaching robes and heading to the bathroom to shower. Crookshanks greeted her, and when she read the note she was less afraid and angry, just relieved that George had only gone up to the castle, but as she showered and dressed, and then walked up to the castle, she was anxious and wondered if George was angry with her for being emotional.

When she arrived at the school and walked to her classroom, she found George seated at her desk, looking absolutely exhausted. Hermione felt a small lurch in her heart, looking at him seated there, with a shadow of stubble on his jaw and his hair an absolute mess. George gently reached out for her hand and pulled her down into his lap, hugging her gently and kissing the top of her head. Hermione tried to speak, but he interrupted her.

"I'm sorry, love. Seeing how the stress affected you, I just couldn't sit there in the house not doing anything about it. I've been here with McGonagall and Draco, setting a sort of protective spell over every single classroom and the library...we have these labels on all of the products, you see, to verify that they are genuine Weasley products, to prevent knock-offs...I've charmed all the really important places in the school to not admit any student carrying Weasley products...McGonagall is drafting a notice for all the students explaining the new wards as we speak...your work won't be interrupted like that again, I promise."

Hermione threw her arms around his neck, sobbing, and he rocked her gently, stroking her hair and soothing her. Finally, she calmed herself and cast a few charms to tidy her hair and dry her tears.

"I missed you so much when I woke up."

"I missed you too, love. I thought about you every second I was here. I know you have classes to teach now, and you're wanting to prepare for them, but can I come for you tonight after classes, and walk you home?"

Hermione nodded, wiping away a few more tears, and George kissed her deeply before turning to leave just as the first class arrived. Hermione watched him leave with a full heart, and then cleared her throat to begin the class.

Hermione and George, being like any other couple, had their ups and downs, but they usually managed to resolve them before they caused lasting damage. The shop placed new restrictions on its products, and George maintained the wards at Hogwarts to prevent further incidents. One day when George strolled into the school to bring Hermione home, he was surprised by a little party in Hermione's classroom, as McGonagall presented him with a special award for services to the school, which made George bark with laughter and Hermione giggle a little. George had been amused by Hermione's proud face and the little skip in her step as they walked home that night, and they placed the plaque on their mantlepiece beside Fred's photo.

One day, Hermione finished up her classes and tidied her classroom, and when George arrived to escort her home, she was so tired that she didn't notice anything amiss in George's facial expression or demeanor. They chatted about the day, and as always, George held the door for her and kissed her tenderly before she went to take her shower and change. It wasn't until Hermione walked into their dining nook that she noticed anything unusual at all.

The dining nook was decked with tiny floating lights everywhere, and the table was bare except for one rose. When Hermione touched the flower, she felt a dizzying sensation and discovered that it was a portkey, and when she arrived at her destination, she gasped. She was in a beautiful meadow, decked with flowers even though it was the dead of winter, enclosed in some sort of invisible barrier that showed the snowy world outside. Waiting for her was a picnic, and George, who suddenly reminded Hermione of that first walk at Christmastime a few years ago, and their first kisses.

George eagerly served her dinner, and they ate almost in silence, gently touching often, or kissing, and when they were finished George waved his hand, sending all the dishes flying back into the basket, and then leaned over and kissed Hermione deeply. Finally, he pulled back, leaving her flustered, and produced a small box. When Hermione realized what was happening, she looked up into George's eyes and was floored by all the love and desire in them, as well as his obvious nervousness.

"Hermione...I've been thinking about this for a while, but I wanted to make sure I made everything perfect for you. I've known for quite a while now that you are my soulmate, and I love you in a way that delights and frightens me; I have never treasured anyone this much, I have never trusted anyone this much, and I have never wanted so badly to be more for someone...but I hope that I am enough for you. Will you please marry me?" He looked down into Hermione's eyes, and Hermione's heart leapt. She smiled up at him and gently kissed him.

"Of course I will. You're the only man for me, George." George slipped the ring on her finger, and Hermione smiled as she admired the small gold band with three rubies set deep into it.

"Gryffindor colours," she said softly, and George smiled and kissed her hand.

"I may never have gotten to know you if you'd been Sorted elsewhere and hadn't been the one to keep the boys alive and been so brilliant at everything. It took me a while to catch on to my feelings for you, love, but you always did draw my attention." Hermione smiled, and they curled up on the picnic blanket, kissing and gently caressing eachother. Finally, George stood and pulled Hermione to her feet, and he picked up the rose again, sending them home. They kissed and then George chuckled at their stumbling in the dark.

"I thought I'd left the lights on, George, I'm sorry." George only chuckled, and flipped on the lights.

"CONGRATULATIONS!" Came the chorus of shouts from the kitchen, and a laughing George pulled a shocked Hermione towards the crowd of friends and family all gathered there. He clapped his hands for silence, and happily addressed them all: Harry and Ron with their wives, a teary eyed Minerva, Draco and Neville, all of Gryffindor house from their school days, and of course the Weasley family and even Hermione's parents.

"It is my greatest pleasure to introduce to you all my beautiful, brilliant fiancee, Miss Hermione Jean Granger!" George shouted, and then dipped Hermione low and kissed her passionately, earning some hoots and whistles from the crowd. George stood, triumphant, and Hermione blushed as their loved ones all gathered around, hugging them and congratulating them. The party continued into the wee hours, but finally everyone went home, and George scooped Hermione up into his arms and hurried her to the bedroom, making her laugh. Finally, some time later, they fell asleep, entwined in each other contentedly and happily. George kissed her forehead and gently stroked the little gold band on her finger, and grinned as he drifted off to sleep.


	27. Chapter 27

_Usual disclaimer, I am not JK Rowling, these are my imaginings with her wonderful world and the characters who live in it. Thank you Rowling for giving us all so much inspiration. _

"Hermione Granger and the Seventh Year"

a fanfic by Cerys Dewar

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Hermione and George's wedding day arrived in a snowy December morning, at the end of the first term of school and the beginning of the Christmas holidays. The date had been chosen not only to accommodate the students who wished to see their professor married, but as a sentimental touch by the happy couple, who wanted to celebrate on the anniversary of those first kisses all those years ago. Minerva, of course, would officiate,as the wedding would be performed in the Great Hall; Harry and Draco were Hermione's 'men of honour', and Ginny and Luna were bridesmaids. Lee and Ron and Arthur stood for George, and George had asked Ron to carry Fred's portrait and set it somewhere prominent for the ceremony.

Hermione's mother helped her dress in her wedding robes, a beautiful creamy lace dress with a long veil, and wove deep red roses through her hair. Hermione wore soft boots and a beautiful wool cape over the dress to keep warm for the walk to Hogwarts. As always, her makeup was simple, and she only used a few charms to tame her curls, knowing that George loved the wildness of her crazy hair. When Ginny, Luna, Harry, Draco, and her father watched her descend the shop stairs, everyone was teary eyed. Everyone gave her gentle hugs and kisses, so as to not upset her makeup or hair too much, and then Hermione took her parents' arms, Harry took Ginny's, and Luna walked with Draco behind Hermione to watch that her veil remained safe.

When they approached the castle, Hermione gasped delightedly to see her students framing the walkway with their wands held high. As she walked between the rows of students of all ages, and noticed her colleagues here and there, they shot golden stars from their wands over Hermione, and she arrived at the castle in a shower of gold, flushed and teary eyed, to be greeted by Minerva, whose normally stern countenance had relaxed. Minerva gathered Hermione into a warm hug with a brightly beaming smile and suspiciously misty eyes.

"Oh, dearie, wait 'till you see what your laddie has done to the Hall for you. I've never seen a man work so hard and fuss so much." George had insisted to Hermione that she leave the decor to him, and Hermione had been more than happy to leave it up to him as long as he promised that there would be no pranks at least until the reception, to which George had gleefully agreed.

Finally, the moment arrived, and Hermione, her parents and Minerva, and her attendants arrived just outside the large doors to the Great Hall. Luna straightened Hermione's veil one last time with Draco's assistance, and then they took their place at the head of the procession, followed by Harry and Ginny, then Minerva, and then Hermione's parents. Hermone stood at the very back of the procession, as she would enter alone. Hermione's fingers clutched her roses tightly, and her stomach fluttered so much that she worried she would look terrified. She tried to relax her face a bit. Then, the doors to the hall opened, and Hermione gasped quietly.

The Hall had been enchanted within an inch of its life, to look like the path out the castle gates in the woods, where Hermione and George had shared their first kisses near the apparition point. Snow gently fell from the ceiling, and along the walls it appeared as if there was an endless forest of spruce trees. The floor had a delicate dusting of snow, even, and the sunlight filtered through the large windows, illuminating the soft sparkle of the snow. Hermione was in awe, knowing too well as a Charms Master just how hard George must have worked to recreate the scene, and she couldn't help beaming through her tears over her groom's thoughtfulness.

George stood at the front of the hall where Dumbledore used to stand when making his beginning of year speeches, where Hermione had sat on the stool all those years ago to be sorted, in the hall where they had met for the first time, but in a forest he'd enchanted to resemble the exact scene he remembered from all those years ago when they had made those first tentative reaches to one another, and George smiled, even as he nervously bounced on his heels. Then, the hall was filled with soft music, and the ceremony began. George swallowed nervously, and Lee gently punched his shoulder with an encouraging grin.

Draco and Luna walked up first, followed by Harry and Ginny, then Hermione's parents and finally Minerva, who took her place between George and where Hermione would be, and the music changed as everyone in the hall rustled to their feet, and George's stomach jumped into his chest repeatedly. Then, his breathing halted completely.

Towards him walked Hermione, looking like a queen with roses woven through her curls and beautiful robes hugging her curves, looking into his eyes and grinning ear to ear. George's heart accelerated with every step she took towards him. _She's so beautiful, and she's mine, _George thought as she advanced. George found himself striding towards her, even though it hadn't been rehearsed that way at all, even though it wasn't tradition, he just couldn't help himself. He met her halfway up the aisle, and they stared into eachother's eyes as everyone else in the room vanished to their notice, and George offered his hands to Hermione, who took them. They were so entranced by eachother that they didn't hear Molly sniffle, or Arthur outright sob, or Hermione's parents tearily exclaim how devoted George was.

Finally, their trancelike state was broken by a thick, teary cough from Minerva, at which George turned to stand beside Hermione, and led her to the front of the hall, beaming through tears. Harry gave George a hearty handshake and took Hermione's flowers, and then the couple stood in front of Minerva and delivered their vows. A few times, Draco gently waved his wand and silently charmed Hermione's makeup so her happy tears wouldn't blur it, and there were no dry eyes in the room at all, not even from Minerva, as George and Hermione became husband and wife, and when they shared their first kiss as a married couple, the hall erupted in some of the most boisterous applause anyone had heard in the Hall for a very long time. Hermione and George were immediately surrounded by all their loved ones, being hugged and kissed and congratulated, and Ron, hugging Fred's portrait tightly, cast some fireworks above everyone's heads as George and Hermione were urged again to kiss. A large, sparkly W formed from the fireworks, and George grinned hugely as he straightened up from kissing his wife.

"Everyone, may I proudly introduce you to my wife, Mrs. Hermione Weasley!" the whole room cheered as George kissed Hermione again and again, and as Filius and Minerva transfigured the benches into tables with the students' help, well-wishers continued to crowd the happy couple.

Through the dinner, and the ball that followed, there were no pranks, with the exception of Draco's slice of the wedding cake exploding, leaving bits of frosting in his eyebrows, which left Hermione helplessly giggling as Draco mockingly challenged George to a duel. The party lasted into the wee hours of the morning, and finally, George and Hermione walked home, escorted by their families and attendants, who had lit their wands and sang love songs the entire way. They embraced their loved ones, and then George scooped Hermione up into his arms and carried her over the threshold to cheers. The neighbors peeked out their windows, and discovering the reason for the sound, lit their own wands and cheered. Draco closed the door behind the newlyweds, and then everyone went their ways by apparition, with the exception of Draco, who walked a very tired Minerva back to the castle.

\- _thirteen years later... _-

Professor Granger-Weasley sat at her desk as the first-years filed in for their very first Transfiguration class, and looked proudly at the slightly gawky youth with the ginger hair who settled into a seat beside a certain James Sirius Potter. Two sets of green eyes, one pair bright and the other hazel, looked to her nervously, causing her a moment of dread as she wondered if they were nervous from usual first-year nerves or because they had decided to try pranking her. She raised her eyebrows at them inquiringly, and sternly stared them down as they shook their heads vehemently at her, vowing to warn the other staff about the pair of miscreants as soon as possible. She pulled out her class list and took attendance, acknowledging each student, until she reached the end of the list.

"Frederick Weasley?" she called.

"Here mum...professor!" Freddie stammered from his seat. The class giggled only a little, and silenced immediately as James Potter turned and scowled threateningly at them all.

Hermione felt her heart contract many times through the lesson as her son showed his skill first hesitantly, and then with more pride and confidence, and smiled at him lovingly when he looked over his shoulder to her before leaving at the end of the lesson.

"See you at supper!" he called softly, and Hermione waved at him and his best friend as they departed. Tonight would be only the second night that Freddie slept at the castle instead of at home, and Hermione would return after supper to George and the twins, Penelope and Patricia, more commonly known as Penny and Pat, who had their father's hair colour but their mother's curls, and their mother's dainty, beautiful features and large brown eyes. George already swore up and down that there were no witches prettier or smarter than his daughters, and that someday his son Freddie would be minister for magic, and that his wife was the most beautiful, intelligent witch who'd ever lived. Hermione knew that her husband was the most wonderful husband anyone could ask for, and their children the most lovable.

Hermione was happy, and all was well with the world.

\- _the end _-

_Thank you so much, to everyone who read and enjoyed this fanfic, as well as the reviewers who left me the most encouraging messages and made this whole writing experience so enjoyable. This fanfic is dedicated to SereniteRose, whose review on one of my much older stories gave me the craving to write again: thank you so much, friend, writing this story has brought me many hours of happiness, and I appreciate the push your message gave me after all those years._


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